MS SOOKA: We would like to welcome you to the proceedings of the Commission today.
NTOMBIZODUA SIDZUMO: (s.s.)
MS SOOKA: As is our custom I have assigned a commissioner to assist you with the leading of your evidence and in this instance it will be Mr Hugh Lewin.
MR LEWIN: Mama Sidzumo I would like to welcome you and thank you for coming and ask you to tell the story which takes us through not only from 1976, that day in June in 1976 but also to a more recent occurrence in 1992 and what has happened to you then. If you could please, in your own time, take it easy, feel relaxed, tell us your story. Thank you.
MS SIDZUMO: In 1976 on the 16th June and then one of my brothers came to my house to have lunch. It was about quarter past 12. And we were staying at 12th Avenue. When we went out he was commenting and saying can you see what is happening outside, I see people running amok. And he said he is supposed to go to work because his employers might not appreciate his absence. As we were walking around he was shot on the shoulder. They shot him three times and we started looking for him. We went to hospitals, after he was taken away. We went to mortuaries, we don't know where his grave is, we don't know what has happened to him and we would like to know as to whether he died and where was he
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buried.
MR LEWIN: You say that he was shot from - was this from a Hippo?
MS SIDZUMO: Yes, that is correct.
MR LEWIN: And in your statement you said that after he had been shot his body was taken up by the Hippo and it was because of that that you didn't again see him.
MS SIDZUMO: Yes, we didn't see him from then. We tried to look for him and we didn't find out as to what had happened. MR LEWIN: And the police never came to you and told you anything more about him.
MS SIDZUMO: No, they never came.
MR LEWIN: And as far as you know there was no inquest into his death?
MS SIDZUMO: We tried but we couldn't find anything. We went up and down and we just got tired and sat down.
MR LEWIN: Can you tell us something about him, I mean how old was he at the time?
MS SIDZUMO: He was about 14.
MR LEWIN: So he wasn't himself involved in any of the student uprising?
MS SIDZUMO: No.
MR LEWIN: So I mean was there any reason for him to have been shot at by the police?
MS SIDZUMO: I don't know of any reason because people were running around and all people were confused, they were running in all directions and we just heard shots fired.
MR LEWIN: And this was June 16th, it was the first day of what became known as Soweto? Ja. Can you tell us what happened to your father after the incident, what happened subsequently to your father.
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S SIDZUMO: From then my father got ill and he was not healthy. We tried to search but we couldn't find this person and this affected my father and he died and thereafter my mother died.
MR LEWIN: You say your father died in 1981 I think it was.
MS SIDZUMO: My father died in 1981. I am sorry my father died in 1980 and my mother in 1982.
MR LEWIN: And could you tell us what happened to yourself recently in 1992.
MS SIDZUMO: In 1992, it was early in the morning, I was with my son, he said I am just coming to greet you and I am coming back and he left the place. In the afternoon I decided to sleep because I was working a night shift, I had to go back to work in the evening. At about three o'clock I got a telephone call and I was informed that my son is dead and I asked as to the cause of the death. They couldn't tell me anything. Then I asked one gentleman to take me with his car to his place. When I arrived at his house the house was locked. Then I went to the streets to look for his girl friend and I asked her why is the door locked and she said to me come I will open the door for you, your son is inside. And when we got into the house we found that that was true he was dead. And I asked as to what had happened and I was told that he hanged himself in the house. From there police came to take statements. They also called me to the police station and they further said they will call me back but they never called me up till today.
MR LEWIN: He was then living away from you then. He was living on his own.
MS SIDZUMO: Yes.
MR LEWIN: Ja. And you didn't have any knowledge that he
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was feeling depressed or that there was anything wrong.
MS SIDZUMO: I would say that it was on Thursday and he said to me I am not well, my spirit is not well, there is someone who is troubling me and I asked him how and he said I will tell you later. I took it so lately and as he promised that he will tell me later I just left it like that. I think what he told me might be because of all these problems. What I don't know is whether he was killed or he committed suicide. That is what I would like to know.
MR LEWIN: How do you feel yourself, Mama, that you know for what was the reason? What do you think the reason was?
MS SIDZUMO: I don't feel free because I knew that my son would normally come back home and say Mommy there is some money to buy food and even if I say I do have money for myself he will say let's share the money, let's share mine, I will give you half of my money and he used to buy food for the family. However, from that time I don't feel free because he used to help me to support the family.
MR LEWIN: Did he also have a family himself that you are now looking after?
MS SIDZUMO: Yes, he had one child staying at Daveyton location. He normally comes during school holidays, during June and December.
MR LEWIN: And how (indistinct) look after him yourself.
MS SIDZUMO: I normally ask from my God, I asked him saying my God you know I am your child, you know me when I am in trouble, in difficulties and even in bad times you are the one who is going to help me and usually God give me the power to fix here and there so that I can continue with my life.
MR LEWIN: Will you tell us also now where you are living,
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because did something happen in 1992 which drove you away from your home?
MS SIDZUMO: I am staying at Council.
MR LEWIN: Why is that?
MS SIDZUMO: We ran during the time of violence and we ran to those offices because we didn't have a place to stay. We were chucked out of our houses.
MR LEWIN: This is in 1992 is it?
MS SIDZUMO: Yes.
MR LEWIN: And what chased you away from your home? Can you explain this particularly for those of us who don't know what was happening then, why were you forced out of your house.
MS SIDZUMO: As I arrived from work in the morning my children said they will be so happy if I can leave the place because people came at night, they were looking for me and they couldn't find me. So these people are coming to look for you, they are people who can do anything bad to you. I stayed there and then they insisted that I had to leave the place, try and find a place where I can stay, just somewhere to hide my head and then we will see what is going to happen later. Then I left and went to stay at the clinic. So as time was running out I had to go to work. That evening I went to work. At work one man came to my work place and he said you don't have to stay here, people don't want to see you so you had better run out of this place because you are an ANC member and you are an ANC spy. So you have to disappear. Therefore I ran away.
MR LEWIN: Did you know him at all? Do you know who he was or where he came from?
MS SIDZUMO: I wasn't there when he arrived. I just heard
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my children. I know him because he came the following day.
MR LEWIN: Can you tell us who he is?
MS SIDZUMO: I can't really explain him because this will affect me spiritually. It will be painful to explain about him. I think God will sort of like reveal all about him.
MR LEWIN: Can you tell us perhaps who is now in your home.
MS SIDZUMO: At the present moment there are people I asked to stay at my house.
MR LEWIN: And would you want to go back there yourself?
MS SIDZUMO: If possible, yes.
MR LEWIN: And how do you think that could be done, to get you back home and away from the Council premises?
MS SIDZUMO: If I have to go back it must be God's wish because I believe in God.
MR LEWIN: Can you tell us how many are you in your family now. How many people are you now looking after yourself?
MS SIDZUMO: I have five children and some grandchildren. There are four.
MR LEWIN: Do they live with you in the Council premises?
MS SIDZUMO: They are staying in town in a flat. I tried to find a flat for them because where we were staying we were so overcrowded so I tried to find them a flat where they could stay.
MR LEWIN: I will pass you over to the Chairperson now. Thank you.
MS MKHIZE: Can you please explain according to your knowledge do you know Jerry as someone who belonged to any political organisation? (Witness upset). We hope now you are gaining composure.
MS SIDZUMO: Jerry used to stay with women. He didn't go around or roam around the street. He didn't like most of
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the things at that time and most of the time he used to spend his time with women around him and the women at home.
MS MKHIZE: We would like to thank you. Maybe I might have to continue and ask as to what has happened in 1992. As you have explained that in your heart you would really like to know that during the ethnic violence as you said you didn't know whether he killed himself or committed suicide, the person you talked to did he or she belong to any political organisation?
MS SIDZUMO: Most of the time Dumsani used to go to the city and he used to work there and get paid and he used to come back to me and say Mom here is the money that I have earned. And he used to go and work there even during Sunday. So I used to take him as my husband because he is the one who was taking care of us at home because at the end of each and every week he used to come to help us with a few things that we need.
MS MKHIZE: As I have asked you we would like to find out as to whether he was involved in any politics.
MS SIDZUMO: No, he wasn't.
MS MKHIZE: Another question further. You also explained that you were also harassed because you were also one of the activists in your place.
MS SIDZUMO: Yes, that is true. We used to organise ourselves in groups according to our residents. So in each and every family they had to choose one person who will take the peoples' complaints, someone who would sort of oversee and look as to what is going on around the residents. So we used to work as a group maintaining order and also to make sure that the community has clean toilets and houses.
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MS MKHIZE: Were you one of those people who had to take solutions as to what must be done to people who don't take care of their yards?
MS SIDZUMO: I would say that I was only chosen as one of the representatives for my house. Because as I have already said they had to choose one person from each house.
MS MKHIZE: Thank you. I will take you back to the Chairperson.
MS SOOKA: Thank you, Mama, for coming today and sharing your story with us. You have indeed had a number of tragedies in your life. First the loss of your brother, then your son and then being displaced from your own home. And we know that that situation still remains. We have taken note of what you have told us and we will see what we can do about getting closer to the truth about what happened to your brother. We would like to thank you for coming today to share your story with us. Is there anything that you would like to add to what you have already said in your evidence?
MS SIDZUMO: I would like to ask, I don't know maybe I have done something wrong, maybe not, however I am of the opinion that the person who called me to report about the death of my son should come and explain as to what has happened because he didn't explain to me. We just took the body to the mortuary and she just took the properties and went away. Maybe she knows something about the death so I would like to hear more about it.
MS SOOKA: Mama, do you know the name of the person who phoned you? You don't have to say it to us here you could perhaps tell our statement takers.
MS SIDZUMO: Yes, I do.
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MS SOOKA: If you give us that information then we can actually go to that person and ask them to tell us what they know about what happened. Do you want to give the name now or would you rather tell our statement takers?
MS SIDZUMO: I would like to tell the person who will come and take a statement from me.
MS SOOKA: All right, we will make sure that happens. Thank you for coming today.
