hrvtrans HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, SUBMISSIONS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 1997-05-06 ZEERUST MAGDELINE G MOTSOSI JB3686 https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/hearing.php?id=56193&t=&tab=hearings https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/originals/hrvtrans/zeerust/zeemotso.htm MRS MOTSOSI Good afternoon, Sir. CHAIRPERSON PROF. MEIRING MAGDELINE MOTSOSI (sworn states) PROF. MEIRING Thank you very much. Please be seated. DR ALLY CHAIRPERSON MRS MOTSOSI DR ALLY MRS MOTSOSI I even now I cannot understand why they had a special desire about this committee. Is it because of the conflict between the two Chiefs, as you were saying, as they were saying who was our Chief and that they were forcing us to say our Chief was Mr Molilwa. That means the conflict between the two chiefs was the cause of the problem. DR ALLY MRS MOTSOSI DR ALLY How often was it collected ? Was it once a week, once a month ? How often was this money collected from people ? MRS MOTSOSI We were arrested in Good Friday. We are many as the villagers and I was having hundred rand with me. DR ALLY I was asking, how often was this two rand collected ? Was it on a weekly basis, on a monthly basis ? MRS MOTSOSI It was a monthly contribution. DR ALLY Did each household have to pay or each person ? How, how did this work ? It was on a monthly basis. Was it two rand per house, two rand per person ? How was, how was the two rand collected ? MRS MOTSOSI It was two rand per person and children was one rand each. DR ALLY MRS MOTSOSI DR ALLY MRS MOTSOSI DR ALLY Did anybody ever complain about this? Did they go to, do you think that people may perhaps have gone to the Boputhatswana police and complained about this collection ? MRS MOTSOSI DR ALLY MRS MOTSOSI DR ALLY And are you sure that that this was never a source of conflict. That some people may have perhaps felt that it was unfair, because in some houses there may have been three people and in another house there may have been six people, in another house there may been two people and yet everyone was expected, who lived in a house to contribute the same amount, was this never a source of conflict at all ? MRS MOTSOSI I would say it that, that might be the source of the problem or of the conflict, because when the police came, they started by saying they are looking for money. DR ALLY MRS MOTSOSI There was no conflict about that contribution because there was no problem at all. DR ALLY And it was the youth that you said, or this committee made up of the youth that was responsible for this money ? MRS MOTSOSI DR ALLY Did you ever consider laying a charge against these policemen who assaulted you, who humiliated you in the way in which they did ? Did you - because you spoke about the lawyer. You mentioned Breytenbach I think. Did, did .. MRS MOTSOSI Yes, we met with the lawyers. DR ALLY And, what happened ? MRS MOTSOSI The lawyers help us that we should not be imprisoned. DR ALLY So you were, you were never, you were never charged in court were you ? Were you taken to court at any point ? MRS MOTSOSI We appear in court but other groups did appear in court. DR ALLY Presently, where, this other Chief that you speak about, Molilwa, where is he presently ? Is he still in the village, what....... MRS MOTSOSI DR ALLY And ? What is the relationship like between him and the other Chief and the rest of the people in the village ? MRS MOTSOSI DR ALLY MRS MOTSOSI There are no social groups as it were which divide the people. DR ALLY And the local government elections ? What actually happened in the area ? Did people just vote for whichever party they wanted to, or was there conflict or did everything go off smoothly ? MRS MOTSOSI There was no conflict at all during the local government elections. DR ALLY PROF. MEIRING Only a few brief questions, Mrs Motsosi. I just want to know, are you married ? MRS MOTSOSI PROF. MEIRING How many children do you have to take care of. MRS MOTSOSI Three children, Sir. PROF. MEIRING How old are they ? MRS MOTSOSI The other one was born in 1982, the other one was born in 1992, the other one was born in 1993. PROF. MEIRING Three. Thank you so much. Are you working at the moment ? Are you employed ? MRS MOTSOSI PROF. MEIRING Not working. Did you go to school, what standard were you in school when you left the school ? MRS MOTSOSI Standard six, Sir. PROF. MEIRING Your mother, you say that your mother was a great help to you. Is she still alive, your mother ? MRS MOTSOSI PROF. MEIRING So you are all on your own and you have to take care of the children ? MRS MOTSOSI PROF. MEIRING Thank you very much. Those are the questions. MISS SEROKE Is Mr Molilwa still in your area ? MRS MOTSOSI Yes. MISS SEROKE He still living in the same house ? MRS MOTSOSI MISS SEROKE The same yard is still there ? Are the police still there ? MRS MOTSOSI No they were, they moved. MISS SEROKE You said there is peace now in your village ? MRS MOTSOSI MISS SEROKE What is he doing now ? MRS MOTSOSI MISS SEROKE MRS MOTSOSI No. MISS SEROKE We heard much about this police station which was in Motswedi. Is it in your area or is it in Zeerust ? MRS MOTSOSI MISS SEROKE Is he still there ? MRS MOTSOSI MISS SEROKE Thank you.