IRENE TUKIE MARCH
On the 17th - not actually on the 17th, nearly every night he used to go out telling me that he is going to a meeting.  What meeting those were soccer meetings.  On the 17th still he said he was attending a soccer meeting again. I asked him as Soweto is in riot what is going on every night you go out for soccer meetings are you not attending these meetings which ended up in riots and then he told me no, no, no I mustn't worry, he is just attending soccer meetings.  So in the morning of the 18th I was still working by then. I woke up, prepared myself to go to work.  Usually I used to leave them still at home before they go to school.  Then when I was at work we were told that Alexandra is on fire.  Then I personally approached my employer telling him that look I am not coming to stay here when Alexandra is on fire, I am going home.  He wanted to know why because I am at work, it is not burning why should I go away.  Then I told him that look I have got boys and boys are always up and down, they would like to go and see.  They would like to
ALEXANDRA HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
3 MARCH
go and see what is happening.  As you people say the municipal buildings are falling off, they would like to go and see what is going on.  I might be unfortunate, one might be shot at. And secondly my baby is at the creche, the creche is just behind the hostel, if it collapses it is going to reach the creche.    So I said if it collapses it is going to fall on the creche in Sixth Avenue so I must go home.  So then I was let to go and I went home.  Since I was born I never saw a battlefield, I personally but when I reached First Avenue I saw camouflaged clothing there and at First Avenue it was really burning.  Gunshots were fired, people were going up and down.  We were told to make a salute, a fist and if we salute then you get a sjambok behind by the police, you are aimed at.  So it was a chaos.  What you were to do it is up to you what are you doing.  Are you lifting up your fist or are you prepared to be shot at.  Okay, I proceeded down.  When I was opposite his school yard I found some of his friends and then they told me that Philip was shot.  Then I wanted to know boys now where is he.  They told me he was taken to hospital.  Then I asked them why are they on their way - why are they lingering about when they see shots firing from left and right.  Then they told me that they knew that I will come down home.  They are actually waiting for me.  So to show me where my son was shot at.  They have shown me a black spot in the school yard and they told me that is Philip's blood there.  The black spot was Philip's blood.  Then I walked down as far as my house.  When I reached home I asked the eldest brother where is Philip, then he told me he didn't know where Philip went to because he rushed from school, the elder one rushed from school to go and fetch the baby at
ALEXANDRA HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
4 MARCH
the creche.  So he doesn't know what happened to Philip.  I told him that I learned that Philip went to hospital so that was that.  Philip was going to hospital.