Special Report Transcript Episode 24, Section 2, Time 01:15

On the second of December 1988, 11 Inkatha supporters attending a night vigil were shot dead in Trust Feed, Natal. The victims were mostly women and children. Local police made no progress in finding the killers. Then Frank Dutton of the Investigations task unit got involved. Dutton nailed seven policemen including none other than the new police station commander, Captain Brian Mitchell. In 1992 Justice Andrew Wilson was the man who sentenced Mitchell to death. This week it was Judge Wilson’s task to consider setting him free. How did a policeman charged with the task of protecting this village end up charged with the murder of 11 of its residents. Up to 1988 Brian Mitchell’s story is the story of hundreds of young white South African men. He joined the police force when he was just 18 years old. During his training in 1976 he was attached to a riot unit in Soweto. Later he spent time at Milierskop, a police counterinsurgency base, and in 1982 he was called upon to use that training in Ovamboland against SWAPO. In his affidavit to the Amnesty Committee Mitchell explained how he was fed and accepted a particular view of the world. It is only recently that he has slipped the bounds of that deep, blind loyalty he says was instilled in him and expected by the police force.

Notes: Trust Feed, aftermath of attack; Newspaper headline ‘Trust Feed witness ‘was with Mitchell’’ June 25 ’94, ‘Trust deaths ‘unforgiveable’’

References: there are no references for this transcript