Special Report Transcript Episode 85, Section 4, Time 47:48

We fetched Mr. Hashe and as the braaivleis was proceeding his interrogation started with some ludicrous statements to humiliate him by Lieutenant Niewoudt at that time. He just grabbed an iron pipe and beat the poor old man several times in his head and as he did so all the people joined in. Now, the position of the old man at the time was such that he was in no position to defend himself and the only thing he could help himself was just to scream out loud. I was then ordered by Lieutenant Niewoudt to stifle his screams, to put my hand in his mouth and hold it hard, so that his screams mustn’t attract the neighbouring farmers. As Lieutenant Niewoudt was beating the old man several times in the head with an iron pipe I noticed that blood was oozing from the old man’s nostrils and ears as well as the mouth. And I saw the old man’s eyes turning into white pupils, they were turning. It was as if he was fainting or just about to die. The beatings went on and on until I saw the old man lying prostrate on the ground with blood all over his head and face, but when I came closer I noticed that he was also having difficulty with breathing, but he was breathing. I quickly rushed to fetch some water and I just poured the water over him. This seemed to revive him. He began to talk. But I could see he was not telling the truth, he was merely trying to save himself and Warrant Officer Koole asked him some question. I can’t recall the nature of the question at the moment, which was perceived by the old man as a very stupid question. This extremely angered Warrant Officer Koole because he instinctively and brutally delivered a mule like kick on the jaws of the old man and at that stage I saw white foam falling from the mouth of the old man and he slowly collapsed. As he hit the floor Warrant Officer Koole went berserk and as he strangled him the others that I have previously named joined in beating the old man with sticks and beating him with iron bars. And Koole kept on just holding on like a vicious bullterrier on the old man’s neck and it became evident to me that he was dead. And when I looked at Warrant Officer Koole he was blooded all over, his clothing, his face and even his shoes were blooded. If one looked at him at that stage one will have sincerely believed that he was the one who was being assaulted.

Notes: Joe Mamasela

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