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Content
A listing of transcripts of the dialogue and narrative of this section.
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Structure
The list provides the transcript, info about the text, and links to references contained in the text.
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Special Report
Transcripts for Section 3 of Episode 24
| Time | Summary | | | 10:38 | The Dutch reformed Church of Stellenbosch is one of the oldest in the country. For more than 300 years the historic mother church has been a landmark of this university town. Most of the apartheid era prime ministers were educated at Stellenbosch University and as students attended church here. It was therefore no ordinary happening when the Stellenbosch circuit of the Dutch Reformed church made a public confession at this week’s Truth Commission’s hearings in Paarl. | Full Transcript and References | | 11:10 | It was a truly symbolic moment when these three theologians made their way to the Truth Commission stage this week. Coming from the church seen to have been the theological backbone of the National Party their confession before the people of Paarl and Stellenbosch was a meaningful milestone in the Commission’s human rights violations hearings. | Full Transcript | | 11:32 | As elsewhere so here at Stellenbosch the ideology of nationalism in the course of time left a substantial imprint on Christians’ ways of thought. It made us insensitive to the injustice and suffering inflicted by the policy of apartheid about many of those living in close proximity to us. The overall result has been that we in Stellenbosch did not speak out enough against injustice in our society, did not speak out enough against racist attitudes amongst our church members; did not speak out enough against impairment of people’s true, human dignity. During the Soweto riots of 1976 and in line countrywide unrest that followed, vague resolutions were passed concerning the state of affairs, but very little protest was voiced against the ongoing gross violations of human rights. We confess that we kept silent at times when we should have spoken out clearly in testimony. We confess that, although we did at times try to protest against the unjust treatment of people, we often did so ...more | Full Transcript | | 13:36 | There also were moments of intimate personal confession. Dr Bethel Muller is the former head of Stellenbosch University’s theological department. | Full Transcript | | 13:44 | My heart was closed, not only my eyes, also my heart was closed because of the system. It was all the information we received and rather to take the easy way out and that is to keep quiet and this is why this was an opportunity for me, Mr. Chairman, in which I could say that this thing which weighs heavy on my and other people’s heart is we did not physically murder people, we did not physically assault anybody, we did not physically put anybody into prison but the bible says that if I allow something to happen to my brother that which is an injustice then I’m also part of that action and then I must also account to God. It was a privilege but was not easy at all because you have to look deep into your own heart and you see the evil in your heart. | Full Transcript | | 15:09 | We just want to give thanks to that God who makes us humble. And he’s a God who I think has got a sense of humour. I’m sure God is laughing now you know looking at us. So what did you think, what did you think you know, this is my world. This is my world and it will be OK. Alles sal regkom. Alles sal regkom in God’s way. And I want to say I give thanks to God for you because all of us know it is not easy to say sorry and certainly not to say sorry publicly. | Full Transcript | | 06:10 | After the submission a clearly emotional Bishop Desmond Tutu called on other churches to follow their example. He said it had long been his view that when Afrikaners are converted there is nothing that can stop them. | Full Transcript |
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