MS BURTON
Our next witness is Lesley Kelemi and we ask him to come to the stage.
Good morning Mr Kelemi.
MR KELEMI
Good morning Ms Burton.
MS BURTON
You are going to speak to us in Xhosa I believe.
MR KELEMI
In Xhosa.
MS BURTON
So will you like to put on the head phones. Can you - can you hear me all right?
MR KELEMI
Yes I can understand.
MS BURTON
Would you stand to take the oath.
MR KELEMI Duly sworn states
MS BURTON
Thank you. Your testimony is going to be facilitated by Ms Joyce Seroke. So I will hand over to her.
MS SEROKE
Good morning Lesley. We are glad that you have the opportunity to tell us your story that happened in 1987. Please tell us in a few words and go back to that year and tell us what happened.
MR KELEMI
It was in July 1987, my neighbour had asked me, her name is Lindi, to go get paraffin. When I got out of the gate I came across policemen. They were standing next to a bus. The second house from my home, that is where I was going. When I was coming back I got shot by the police, I then fell, I got unconscious.
When I regained consciousness, I was in Bloemfontein. I stayed in the hospital for four months. The fifth month I had to be taken back to Kimberley. From Kimberley to De Aar. When they shot me they thought they were shooting my cousin’s brother, because they were looking for him. His name is Monde Makhadula.
When I got home, he fetched me - I did not know why the police fetched me. They took me to a Court of Law. They said they found me guilty of having burnt down a clinic. I told them I do not know anything about this. The court case lasted a few days. I did not have an attorney.
The witness I had was not called to the stage. That witness was my mother. She was mentally disturbed. When I asked them - when I asked them if my witness could talk, they just gave me a five year suspended sentence. I wanted to know why I was found guilty, but I was not told. I still do not know who has shot me. I want to know who shot me.
I was just a laughing matter. People were just laughing at me. At school I cannot participate as much as I would like to. I fail all the time. I repeat every standard five times.
Could the Truth Commission please find those people, because they have destroyed me. That is all I have to say.
MS SEROKE
Thank you Lesley. I just have a few questions. In 1987, how old were you? What were you doing at the time?
MR KELEMI
I was fifteen years of age.
MS SEROKE
Were you studying?
MR KELEMI
Yes, I was.
MS SEROKE
What standard were you doing?
MR KELEMI
I was in standard five when I got injured - it was standard five.
MS SEROKE
What was the situation at your village at the time?
MR KELEMI
It was calm, it was calm.
MS SEROKE
Was there stone throwing?
MR KELEMI
No, there was not, it was just calm.
MS SEROKE
Were you a member of any political organisation at that time?
MR KELEMI
No, I was just a school child.
MS SEROKE
Apparently there was an organisation called Monwabisi Student Organisation. Were you a member?
MR KELEMI
No, I was not a member.
MS SEROKE
So you say you did not see the police that shot you.
MR KELEMI
No, I did not see him. Even at court they did not show him.
MS SEROKE
What are you doing now?
MR KELEMI
I am studying. I am in standard ten.
MS SEROKE
How does your one eye treat you, the one that is functional?
MR KELEMI
My eye gets tired very quickly. It is sore now and again. I sleep very quickly because my eye gets very tired.
MS SEROKE
So you were shot straight in the eye.
MR KELEMI
Yes, I was.
MS SEROKE
After you were released from hospital, you say that you investigated who shot you. How did you go about investigating?
MR KELEMI
After I was shot, I was unconscious, I then asked the people that were there, that picked me up, I asked them the name of the policeman. They did not know.
MS SEROKE
We have heard your request to the Truth Commission. I am going to hand over to our Chairman here, Chairperson.
ADV POTGIETER
Good day - Mr Kelemi, what do you do at the moment.
MR KELEMI
I am studying.
ADV POTGIETER
What are you studying?
MR KELEMI
I am in standard ten. The name of my school is Monwabisi.
ADV POTGIETER
Thank you. And then just one other thing. Who took you to the hospital after you were shot? Did you find out afterwards who took you?
MR KELEMI
It is the police.
ADV POTGIETER
And at the hospital were you under police guard or what happened to your there?
MR KELEMI
Yes, my whole bed was surrounded by police.
ADV POTGIETER
And when you were discharged from hospital, what happened to you. Were you taken into custody?
MR KELEMI
I was escorted by them. They wanted to take me into jail, but my parents refused.
ADV POTGIETER
And when did they actually charge you with this public violence charge. Was it after you were discharged from hospital or what happened?
MR KELEMI
Yes, it was after I had left hospital.
ADV POTGIETER
Was it immediately or only after a while or what?
MR KELEMI
It was a while after I had left hospital.
ADV POTGIETER
[indistinct] go to lay a charge at the police station for the shooting.
MR KELEMI
No, they were not able to because they did not know who shot me.
ADV POTGIETER
Thank you Mr Kelemi.
MS BURTON
Mr Kelemi thank you very much for coming to tell us. We see that you have suffered a serious loss with the loss of your eye and that is has continued to affect you, even until now.
We - we see no reason why people should laugh at you or mock at you and we hope that you will be taken seriously as you try to achieve your - and pass your standard ten exams this year. We wish you success in your studies and we will see whether perhaps some counselling could help you with your concentration and your tiredness from your studying. We are very grateful to you for coming today. Thank you very much.
MR KELEMI
Thank you.
