Special Hearings — State Security Council Hearings — UNKNOWN

CHAIRPERSON: Mr Vlok I want to express appreciation for, first of all your willingness to come voluntarily and, secondly, for your attitude.  I mean we haven't got all the answers that we would have wanted to have got from you but we have heard some submissions that you have made which are very significant and I would hope that people would get to realise that in a sense this is our last chance of being able to deal with all the horrors of the past which were committed not by one side, I mean you are aware and I hope other people are aware that this Commission is fairly robust in its dealings with everybody.  Everybody gets annoyed with us when we get robust that way, I mean that is why we are called a farce by some people, and I would think that that is an indication of our deep commitment.  I, as the Chairperson of this Commission, ought in a way to have got people accepting that there are things that I would not tolerate as the Chairperson, that has been my commitment to this country.  I mean a partial truth or a truth that satisfies only one side will be useless.  I mean it will make this Commission a farce, you know, because this Commission, apart from finding out the truth has been given the task of making a contribution to national unity and reconciliation.  And so I would hope people would begin to accept that we are really very serious about this.  It's a very great privilege that has been given to us to preside over the process of seeking to heal our nation, because we are a great nation, have the potential to be one of the greatest nations.
 As I said yesterday people are still amazed when they look at what is happening in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission because they say, I mean this never happened anywhere what you are doing.  
 And we appreciate your coming and we appreciate some of the points that you have made and it's never easy to concede as you have done on a number of occasions and I want to say that that is something that is very noteworthy, whilst other people might say well perhaps you were not pushed hard enough I think that we have got a great deal out of the two days session that we have had with you and I want to express our appreciation and hope that you will, in the circles in which you move, tell them that this Commission is not some kind of an insect.  This Commission was so composed that it can make a contribution to the healing of this land and to achieve reconciliation of all its people.

ADRIAAN VLOK: Chairperson may I conclude with a short sentence.  I just want to say thank you very much.  In the first place I want to say I still have an amnesty application pending and there are also certain things, perhaps things which you are not interested in but things relating to apartheid which I still have to say during my amnesty application.
 The second point is you say that perhaps some people will say that you didn't push me enough, I based myself on one foundation only and namely, the truth. Nobody can push me any further than that.  Mr Goosen pushed me quite hard but he cannot actually derail me from the truth.
 And I want to say thank you very much to you, Chairperson.  I have known you for many years and I know that you are a unique person.  I think you are an extremely gifted person and I think our country is extremely fortunate to have somebody like yourself to do this work which we are now busy doing.  This morning when you opened the proceedings with prayer I thought back to how we actually had discussions regarding major problems in the past and that in each and every occasion your request was, can I pray for us before we actually start this meeting, and this morning you did exactly the same.  Chairperson if that is the way we are going to move in future, under your leadership, then we will actually achieve success and we will achieve a wonderful nation and a country.  Thank you very much to you personally.
 I'd like to thank the Commissioners as well, the Commissioners and their staff.  You have treated me well and you asked good questions, I don't have any problems, I even want to thank Mr Goosen.  (Laughter).  If we get together like this again I would request that we finish my testimony on one day so that he doesn't have a chance to actually re-group overnight and then bowl another couple of curved balls the next day. (Laughter).  And I want to add if there's any help that I can give you, I am accessible, my door is open to you and my advisors would help you at any stage. 
 I want to thank the Interpreters.  They are still hard at work interpreting.  I want to thank the media.  They sat here for two days, they are doing their job well and the country has to know what is actually going on and they are doing that, they are telling the country what is going on and they are doing it well.  Good luck to all of you.

CHAIRPERSON: When is the election!!  (Laughter)

ADRIAAN VLOK: No I am finished.  Thank you.