hrvtrans OPENING STATEMENT 1997-02-17 GUGULETU 7 1 https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/hearing.php?id=55163&t=&tab=hearings https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/originals/hrvtrans/gug/opening.htm ADV NTSEBEZA Before start I would like to indicate some few ground rules. Firstly about the photo opportunity. It has been the ruling of this Commission and of the - this session that a photo opportunity of the witnesses and everybody else who needs to be photograph or who the photographers need to photograph should take place at the beginning as it is now taking place. But that when once the evidence begins to be led, the photographers will have to leave. That has been the ruling and that is the ruling that we still want to uphold. I would therefore like to think that we will have every co-operation from the camera persons as far as that goes. Secondly I would like to indicate that this session is a continuation of a similar session that has gone on before in November of last year. We are dealing with issues that we have dealt with then, and I would assume that the same reaction that took place then is likely to occur. But let me indicate that we would appeal to everyone who is affected by the events and the circumstances about which there will be [indistinct] in this proceedings - to be as tolerant as possible. We are sure as a Commission and as this particular Committee that we have taken every precaution to let everybody understand that we want to come to the truth and expose the truth through the proceedings in a manner that is as transparent but which is as fair as it can possibly be. But having said that, I want to make it very clear that we understand the feelings that go through those who lost their people in the events about which we are going to be taking evidence from witnesses. But I want to emphasise that our training and the attitude of the Commission and this Committee in particular, has led us to accept that there are always two sides to a story and that all the sides should always be given an fair opportunity to be heard. Now having said all of that I need to say that there is a perception that members of the media project this hearing in a way that suggest to some that the Committee or the Commission has already taken a view point as to the guilty or otherwise of those who testified, especially the witnesses - the police witnesses. Now if there is such a perception to the extend that the Commission is able to dispel such a view and we are wanting to indicate that speaking for myself, I have not found this to be so, but it has been so - and I would like to direct myself to the mass media that there should be an understanding that this is a hearing and a hearing about which no finding has been made and a hearing in relation to which a finding will be made in due course and that until such time as the Committee expressed themselves as to what they find and that will be done in due course. MR VAN ZYL Mr Chairman my name is Francois van Zyl I am a member of the local bar, I am acting on behalf of certain of the witnesses. Instructed by Adri Brand of de Klerk and Van Gend and for the witnesses on the Murder and Robbery side, instructed by Mr Frans van Dyk of Van Dyk and Company - I will not be acting for Mr Knipe. Apart from Mr Knipe I will be acting for all the other witnesses. ADV NTSEBEZA We also have persons from the USAID - United States Agency for International Development and I will ask to be forgiven if my pronunciation is bad - especially being a person who also takes acceptation to my name being mispronounced. Cindy Ghere - Jackie Steyn - Steve Brent - [indistinct] Weidman - Henry and Lees Reynolds, if they can all stand up - we are very pleased to have you. We also have persons from the Health and Human Services which is an organ from the USA I believe Peter Aldeman - if you can stand up, welcome sir. And we have also persons from the Africa Breakthrough Education, Robin Lynn, Peter Griffiths, Faried Versfeld - we are pleased to have you. We have people from the local university the - the University of the Western Cape, from the Education Police Unit both of them Dr Gail Thomas and Mr Ahmed Amos - if they could stand please so that we can recognise them, we are pleased to have you.