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Special Report Transcript Episode 10, Section 3, Time 11:03

Many of the people testifying this week came from Huhudi township in the small town of Vryburg. Here, vigilante groups worked with the police to maintain the authority of councillors who had lost the support of the local community. The present mayor of Vryburg, Hoffman Galeng was chair of the UDF in the Northern Cape in 1986. // My house was under attack on a number of occasions. The last time it was burned to ashes, it was on the 26th of November, but it went all through those attacks of petrol bombs at different dates. // But it wasn’t burnt on the 12th of July? // No, it was finally burnt to ashes on the 26th of November 1985. In fact all our efforts, even during those times, was to try and point out to these people that they were not and they are not our targets, they were not our enemies, most of them were family, we’re one people. So, despite of all those things we managed every now and then going back to them. We pleaded with them and towards the end of eighties then they started to realise that really these people they are not behind us. Because, we pointed out to them that on a number of incidents, if they were our enemies, if we wanted to attack them, we could have long attacked them. So we pointed out to them, we never gave up. So, they ultimately acceded to our call and even in the council all of them they resigned. We came together as one community and forgive and forget the past.

Notes: TRC testimony: Hoffman Galeng; TRC Commissioner

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TRC Victims Glossary
As chairperson of the Northern Cape United Democratic Front (UDF), Mr Galeng survived arson, stoning and firearm attacks by SAP and A-Team vigilantes on his home in November 1985. He was detained and tortured in Johannesburg, in January 1986.
 
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