Human Rights Violation Hearings — Vryheid — 1997-04-17

CHAIRPERSON: (Incomplete) ... recognise a stranger and a friend amongst us, Mr Edward Verster.  Could you stand up so that we can recognise you.  Thank you.  Mr Verster is an attorney from the United States of America.  It is very encouraging to us to see that the international community is taking an interest in what we as South Africans are trying to achieve through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.  You have already said that some of your own colleagues have been to listen to what - the stories that are being related by the people who have undergone different kinds of suffering during the dark ages of apartheid.  So we hope you will take our greetings back with you, and ... (incomplete - end of Side A, Tape 8) ... I have your document with me.  After we have closed then I'll be able to hand it over to you.
We have come to the end of the programme of the two days in Vryheid.  The only thing that's left is to thank you and put forward as gratitude as the Truth Commission.  First of all we would like to thank those who made it possible for the venue.  It's not easy to get a venue here in Vryheid, but still we managed to get this venue to accommodate all of us.  And I would still like to thank the community who took their time to come to the Commission and listen to each and everything that was said by the victims and their families, and the witnesses.  And also thank you for your patience.  We thank you, the community of Vryheid.  
We will put it to you as a community that on the 12th we will be in Mondlo taking statements at 10.00 am, and on the 13th we will be in Vryheid taking statements at  /the same
the same time, 10.00 am.  We hope that you will pass the word on.
And also thank the counsellors who were present here and rendering their services to the victims.  We do trust and hope that even after we have left Vryheid they will still be there and availing their services to these different victims and families.  And also thank the interpreters.  If they were not here this wouldn't be possible.  However they manage to translate and interpret.  And also thank those who have provided the equipment.  I have such - I am not so audible when I speak, but I was able to be audible as a result of this equipment.  And also thank the police.  We are in the time when we are not so sure about our safety.  The police have taken their time and made it a point that they are here for our safety.  We would like to thank them in a special way.  And also thank the catering services.  We enjoyed the meals, no doubt about that.  And I would like to apologise because I know that not all of you ate, but you know that's what goes on in the world.  Some do get food, some don't, but you know the situation however.  And also thank the staff of the TRC, the statement-takers.  The statements are very important.  And also thank every single person who's a staff personnel at the TRC office, left Durban to make sure that this is a success and that you are comfortable as you seem to be.  Thank also my colleagues right in front.  You have seen how much effort they've put in, the three of us here.  Maybe the two of them they tried to push everything, and I do believe that you will support me in saying that everything went on smooth.
When people come to ventilate here some are healed from that process - you know, coming out and ventilating the truth, because to bottle things inside you kills, but for the fact that the witnesses, the victims came forward to ventilate and take out what was eating them inside, that process itself alone is healing.  And also I want to highlight the fact that we will never have a prosperous future if we are not united.  Let us assure ourselves of a better future by way of working hand in hand together. 
My colleague here is just mentioning that I have forgotten the media people.  No, I did not forget them.  I was about to address them.  We would like to address them.  We would like to thank them, and also the media people.  I talked to them this morning that we did not see anything on the television, national television yesterday.  Even during the news nothing was shown, but today we hope that we will have an opportunity and we will see the proceedings of the day.  
I may be forgetting or omitting a few other things, but my colleagues will remind me, and I think we are all satisfied that we've heard and I have thanked everybody.  There is a gentleman by the name of Mr Xulu that I will ask to come forward and close this programme in prayer.  Oh, he is Pastor Xulu, not Mr Xulu.  May you request Pastor Xulu.  We will kindly ask the pastor to come forward.
HEARING CLOSES WITH A SONG AND A PRAYER
/TRANSCRIBER'S