Special Hearings — Trojan Horse Hearings — 1997-06-02

WENDY ORR: I would just like to explain to you how the translation devices work. You should all have access to a set of headphones and a receiver. If you don't and you do understand the language, or, you don't understand the language that is being used, please try and share. We ask that if people do understand the language that they hand their translation devices over because we would like as many people as possible to understand the proceedings.
 The sound is transmitted from these devices on the stage so if you're having difficulty picking up the sound, try pointing your receiver to these devices. There are three channels, a button on the side, channel one is Afrikaans, channel two is English and channel three will be Xhosa when our Xhosa interpreters arrive, I'm afraid they haven't arrived quite yet, and the button on the other side is the volume button. Please leave these devices on your chairs when you leave the hall for tea or lunch, or at the end of the day because the receivers have to be recharged every day and are of no use to you outside of this hall. I can see that Mrs Asmal has just arrived. Welcome to Mrs Asmal, thank you for coaming here today. 
 Just one more announcement, if you have a cell phone could you please turn it off while you are in the hall and could you also try if you have to leave while a witness is giving evidence, please try to do so as quietly and as unobtrusively as possible, because it can be quite disruptive. Thank you.
 The Archbishop is now going to unobtrusively excuse himself. Thank you.

DESMOND MPILO TUTU: You will notice that as soon as I have left, it is an all women "dinges" here.

MS PUMLA GOBODO-MADIKIZELA: Thank you Archbishop, we really appreciate your "dinges", your coming this morning, in spite of your busy schedule.  We really do and I'm sure the families and people present this morning do appreciate this. Thank you very much.
 I just want to announce that I am taking over the chairing from the Archbishop this morning and my name is Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela. The Archbishop has introduced the rest of the panel. We would like to call up the first witness and before we call up the first witness, if the first witness could get ready, we ask Ms Glenda Wildschut to call the, to do the roll call for us, to let us know who is appearing this morning, and then the first witness will come up please, thank you. Ms Glenda Wildschut.

GLENDA WILDSCHUT: Madam Chair, today we will be hearing witness from the following persons: Ebrahim Rasool, who will be giving us a community context statement; we will then be hearing Moegamat Shafiek Magmoed in the matter of Shaun Magmoed, and Georgina Williams and Theo Williams in the matter of Michael Miranda. They were shot and killed by police in 1985. We will be listening to Zainab Ryklief who will be talking about her own experience and that of Shafwaan Ryklief,Ghalieb Ryklief and Shaun Magmoed. Shafwaan Ryklief and Ismail Ryklief will be talking about their own experiences and then Charmaine Jacobs will be speaking about the matter of Jonathan Claasen, who was also shot and killed by police in 1985.
 Amina Abrahams and Toyer Abrahams will be talking about Toyer Abrahams and Ashraf Abrahams who were shot and killed by police in 1985. We will then also listen to Basil Swart who is a teacher in this community , and will be giving a context statement in respect of teachers. Sharifa Fridie will be talking about Abdul Kariem Fridie, who was shot and killed by police in 1985.
 Ebrahim Akoojee will be talking about Abdul Kariem Fridie and he is an eyewitness in that killing. Chris Everson, Dennis Cruywagen and Willie de Klerk are reporters who covered the incident and they will be talking about the conflict that ensued post the shooting event in 1985. Thank you.

MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA: Thank you very much Glenda. At this point ladies and gentlemen I'd like us to stand to remember the three young people who died. The three young people and every person who died. We will give a moment's silence please.
 Thank you. Please be seated. We would like to call Ebrahim Rasool to come up on the stand please.
 Good morning Mr Ebrahim and thank you for coaming this morning. It is our procedure to initiate you into the process and we ask Dr Ramashala to do the ceremony. Thank you.

MAPULE RAMASHALA: Mr Rasool, do you want to stand? Do you want to swear or to affirm?

EBRHIM RASOOL: I'll swear.

EBRHIM RASOOL: (sworn states)

MS GOBODO-MADIKIZELA: Thank you. I would just like to remind the camera people, camera persons to speak to our media liason officer, Christel Terblanche about taking pictures. if you could handle that Christel. Thank you. Over to you Mr Rasool.