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people's warExplanation There were the cynics of course, some called it the crying commission, but often they were white or old allies of apartheid and scared of the guilt that came with hearing the truth, but then there were those who became part of the telling and through that some sort of reconciliation. // ‘You ... Brothers of Tokoza played an important role in youth here in Tokoza why does it make them angry that we smoked drugs, which as Gents we smoke for courage. That made them very angry, but they understood our situation, because to handle a gun, shoot and defend is not something you can just do ... Early one morning, on the 4th of August 1983 Ciskei forces opened fire on commuters on their way to work, the reason being they had opted for trains and not use the government owned buses at the time. At the last human rights violations hearing in Mdansane, Eastern Cape the Commission heard how ... Innocent victims of the massacre, like Mrs Francis Joli, and Lindiswa Ngwenya told the Human Rights Violations Committee how they were mistreated after they had been caught in the crossfire. // I heard gunshots and I fell down, due to the gunshots. I don’t know who did this. I tried to ask ... We stay in the Eastern Cape. When the Ciskei Transport Corporation imposed a bus fare increase of 11% in July 1983 the community of Mdansane launched a boycott and started using trains only. The Ciskei government recruited a vigilante group, the ‘Green Berets’ to force commuters in ... On Tuesday morning the TRC led an emotional return to the scene of the shooting. // There should never be a repetition of an act such as this one. So we asked you to pour your holy spirit upon the hearts of your people. // ‘Doreen Rousseau, wounded and crippled.’ // … Do not ... During South Africa’s transition period between 1990 and 1994 the country was nearly plunged into chaos. There were mass killings on trains, buses and taxis, the killings at Boipatong, Phola park, the rightwing threat. APLA, the armed wing of the PAC, was carrying out terror attacks on white ... As a result of this attack I sustained injuries of a serious nature to my left arm, left hip and also internal injuries. // Belling lives in constant pain and has to take around 600 tablets a month. He’s angry about the loss of his youth, his dreams and his right to lead a normal life. // ... On that fateful day eleven people were fatally shot and 36 were injured. // My leg was very painful, the bullet struck me in my thigh. // To their dismay the victims of the shooting that took place at Egerton station were ironically charged with contempt of court. They were forced to pay large ... The Ciskei puppets skilfully undermined all those litigations by arresting and detaining the lawyers who were defending those people or some who actually had civil claims against the Ciskei government. Of course when they were told, it was interpreted in a political way that you are taking the ... This coming week the Human Rights Violations Committee of the Truth Commission will hold its last public hearing. During the past 14 months we have become familiar with the commissioners and Committee members who listen, question and sympathize with the victims at these hearings. Their faces are ... ‘On Hearings…’ // My heart goes out for the women, because the women always come there talking about what happened to their sons, to their husbands, they hardly tell us about what has happened and yet when you probe deeper you’ll also find that they also experienced ... TRC Commissioners emphasize that this week’s health hearing was just a small step in a long process of healing, which should be followed up by the medical profession and human rights organisations. // If we achieve anything through this process I do hope that we insure that human beings are ... as a principle must be accepted by South African society, believe that in fact young people in this country and in general what you call children of wars have been highly militarized precisely because of where this country comes from. The key challenge that faces this country is to create ... Over the fourteen months the South African truth process developed its own unique identity. Even while listening to the most harrowing testimony people could still laugh. People also sang, gave comfort to others and when there was nothing more to say, they prayed. What we were involved in was as I say ‘active sabotage,’ protest sabotage, specifically not to affect people, not to affect human beings, but at the same time to show that there was opposition, that there were people who were opposing. Whoever the guy was that shot me, I have forgiven him, forgiven him unconditionally, but I always said that I would like to meet him and look him in the eye and actually have a chat with him. And yesterday I had the opportunity to do that and it was a wonderful experience for me. We could forgive ... There were strong men but at night people cry. When you ask them why are you crying they said I was dreaming I’m on my way to the death row. 95% of the people who were sentenced to death in this country were black and a 100% of the people who were sent them to death were white. You were much more likely to receive a death sentence if your victim was white. // ANC activist and lawyer Paula McBride knew and worked with numerous prisoners ... Bram Fischer was born in 1908 on a farm near Bloemfontein. He came from a well known legal family. His father, Peter Ulrich Fischer was Judge President of the Free State and his grandfather Abram Fischer had been a Cabinet Minister in the Union of South Africa. Bram went to Grey College and then ... |
