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people's warExplanation 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. I personally can perceive no definition of direct human rights violations which could possibly be attributed to business generally during that period. My view is that business could certainly have been seen to be doing more, but whether that would have had any affect on a government determined to ... That’s the area that I am finding a little bit difficult in giving a one and definite answer. I can only say, since I say also in my affidavit, that this is not new to me. I’ve just been handed in, in fact, from my office I’ve had it faxed. In 1992 there is a press statement which apparently ... This cocktail of God and fatherland was backed up at home with medal parades and military manoeuvres. The news was clinical and heroic. To keep the machine rolling and white South Africa’s morale up, the blood and guts, the dying and killing was not shown. Those who came back from the killing ... ‘Makoma’s statement read by lawyer’ // As the hand grenade exploded we took cover behind the doors, re-entered and while the people inside were screaming we started to shoot. We shot indiscriminately and I finished my full R4 magazine, some 31 rounds of ammunition. Why aren’t you making it public? This … // All in time, all in good time. // On whose decision? This is meant to be a transparent process, it’s meant to be for the people who have been oppressed and deprived. // This whole thing about transparency, there’s nothing about transparency that ... ... to address those of you, especially the victims and survivors, who have come to the Commission. We want to thank all of you who have come forward to make statements about your experiences and those of others in your community. Thank you for telling your story so that the country could know ... The Truth Commission process is not about the Commissioners or the politicians. It belongs to the citizens of this country. While we were looking back at the Truth Commission’s first year we took our cameras to the streets, the townships, the suburbs and the shopping malls and we asked ordinary ... You were there to protect not to attack, not to kill. // Yes it is so sir. // Can you explain how you can possibly think you were protecting anybody when these four people were being beaten by a vast crowd? Why should it be necessary for you to join in beating them with an iron rod? When I came onto the Commission one of the things that shocked us was the fact that there is no requirement in the Act for the applicant to express remorse. It is not a requirement and we were bald over actually and some people had almost a traumatic experience. In stark contrast really to what have taken place in the business sector hearings where on the whole you found people in a self justifying mode. Here, extraordinarily, virtually every single one of those who testified from the different faith communities and the different Christian denominations ... ... the activities of you and your associates you label them, as informers and working with the system. What is your reaction to that? // I am not aware of people I have falsely accused of being informers whenever they are working against me. // Well you are yet to prove any evidence that they ... Reliving the past was traumatic for most witnesses, but throughout the week there was a comforting hand to help them through the pain. // Mafu, we’ve been seeing you all week sitting in this chair with your hand on somebody’s shoulder. What was your role here in East London? // Max, I’ve been ... So was Katiza Cebekhulu consigned to oblivion because he would no longer play Winnie Mandela’s game? Winnie’s hold over ordinary people was awesome, but her protection may have gone far higher than the mere foot soldiers as both President Juluba and Emma Nicholson found out. I think this case is now, in the Eastern Cape region, I know that it’s becoming a very crucial case for where the people are going to take this process of reconciliation via the Truth and Reconciliation Commission seriously, or whether they are going to write it off. We are going to do all in ... The courts have become an important tool for people who don’t like the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. In the latest round, four policemen and former policemen have sued the former Cape MEC for safety and security, Dennis Neer, for defamation after he told the Truth Commission in Port ... In fact by then the situation was very, very tense so that I thought that to stab her was the only way to get what she’s got, like that list of our names. If I couldn’t do that maybe those people who were named could have been also killed. So, I was trying to save the community on what she was ... All those people who were being killed were IFP members. Now we were told that we must come back to Pietermaritzburg and kill everyone who belonged to UDF or ANC. ... water over him. This seemed to revive him. He began to talk. But I could see he was not telling the truth, he was merely trying to save himself and Warrant Officer Koole asked him some question. I can’t recall the nature of the question at the moment, which was perceived by the old man as a ... I did report to Dr Lang, as one following dutiful procedure, and his attitude was basically look give these people the treatment they need, you know if they need a Panado give them a Panado, if they need an X-ray have them X-rayed but that’s where our job stops. It’s not our job to find out why ... |
