Special Report Transcript Episode 15, Section 7, Time 39:40

Truth Commission Vice Chairman Alex Boraine said afterwards his Commission will start summoning perpetrators of human rights violations from the end of this month to give evidence and those who decline the invitation will be subpoenaed. This hopefully means a more active role for the Truth Commission in the pursuit of the truth. Next week the Truth Commission will listen to the submissions of South Africa’s political leadership. It will be a test of how seriously political parties regard the process of uncovering the past and reconciling the nation. The ANC and PAC will be expected to make full disclosure of their military and violent actions during the struggle for liberation, especially where civilian targets were hit. Many South Africans are also waiting for credible explanations for the torture and disappearance of many guerrillas in the neighbouring states. But the National Party was in government during the entire time covered by the Truth Commission. The nation will look to Mr. FW de Klerk to explain structures like the State Security Council who had overseen the terrorising of political opponents. Mr. De Klerk will have to tell us how his government gave birth to monsters such as the police death squads at Vlakplaas and the Defence Force’s Civil Cooperation Bureau, the CCB. The families of a long list of tortured and murdered activists will want to hear from Mr. De Klerk why, if he’s government did not regard torture and assassination as policy, why they did not stop this from continuing right into the 1990s. We all want to know, who knew what? And who gave which orders? These questions have been asked and evaded for a long time. We leave you with a reminder of one of these question and evasion sessions. Until next Sunday, good night.

Notes: Max du Preez

References: there are no references for this transcript