Human Rights Violation Hearings — Pollsmoor — 1997-02-18

ADV NTSEBEZA: These proceedings are now adjourned.  It then remains for me to do the necessary namely to express my sincerest gratitude to all those who have made these proceedings the success that they have been.  In particular I must thank the general public for the controlled way in which they conducted themselves during the course of these proceedings.  Although I have had occasion to [indistinct] one or two cell phones for users thereof , generally the conduct of the public was such as it should be expected from a public in the conditions of this nature.
 I must also thank the - I don't know how  to pronounce this but the EON group who have made these facilities available for us - we are very thank full I am also reminded that we have had no power failure during the course of these proceedings it would have been a sorry sight if we had that, because I believe this is a theatre so we have to thank those that have made it possible.
 I am also asked to thank Telkom and which I do, I am not particularly aware in what respect Telkom comes for special mention.  But sometimes when you are the Chair you just do as you are told which is what I am doing.
 But from me I must indicate that the families who have come here, and have in spite of the pain that this obviously evokes, been able to sit through and listen they are thanked for having come and in the true spirit and tradition of what the Truth and Reconciliation Commission stands for, one would hope that this process to the extend that it exposes some truths whichever way the truth exposes itself as - will ultimately lead to healing - will ultimately lead to reconciliation.
 And I must in equal breath thank the witnesses who have come, I must thank the police who have braved it because this is a matter that has received public attention and it's something that 10 years later seems to be as alive now as it then was when it went through public inquest - Tony Weaver trials and related public inquiries.  And there is a sense in which it becomes  an albatross around anybody's neck to have something of this nature not going away.
 So the presence of the police who came here and endeavoured to give their own perspective is very much appreciated.  Because indeed without their own input the Commission's work will fail because as advocate Potgieter has said and most of the panellist indicated in their questioning, ours is that difficulty of endeavouring to find where the truth lies.  So that at the end of the day, we should be able to make recommendations that are commensurate with what we believe we have been able to get at inquiries of this nature.
 And without the victims and survivors families and the witnesses in the form of the police who were involved on this day in question, we shall never know, it should never be forgotten that we were not there, and we can only know what happened when we weight the testimony of those who have been involved.
 And lastly but not in the least - thank are due to the ministry of safety and security who have provided the necessary security and I would like to be able to think that much of the tranquillity with which this proceedings were held, and the utmost fear that could easily and potentially have been out of hand but which otherwise was a  calm one and conducive for everybody to be able to speak their minds has been largely due to the fact that people came here in the fair secure knowledge that they would be safe in their bodies.
 That is the long list that I have found and at the end of a weary day, let me thank everybody and let me declare these proceedings to be adjourned.