Amnesty Hearings — Pretoria — 1996-07-01

JEANETTE THERON: Well, if it pleases the Committee I will give a short version which I have also handed in in written form. I confirm that as a social worker in the Department of Correctional Services, I have got to know Mr Van Wyk and Mr Du Plessis both in prison.
	When a person is admitted to prison he is orientated in respect of the services available and he then decides for himself whether he wants to interact with these services.
	I would like to mention that as social worker in the Department of Correctional Services, I am in a non-judgmental position and relationship towards my clients, and what is important is rehabilitation of the prisoners so that I can thereby render a service to the community to place a person back in society, a person who will no longer be a threat and an asset to society.	
	Both Mr Van Wyk and Mr Du Plessis, shortly after they were imprisoned, made a request to be involved in the services and since 1994 they have been involved in rehabilitation programmes and in individual therapy.
	What must be mentioned is that the two people concerned early on confirmed that they were misled and they had been manipulated and it was clear that their immaturity and personal insufficiency had been exploited since a very  young age.  Their feelings of guilt which they were dealing with in respect of their offences, came out prominently in my talks with them and remorse which they expressed were genuine. Very sources in prison were utilised by them in order to deal with these feelings of guilt.
	From my talks with them, both Mr Van Wyk and Mr Du Plessis confirmed that they had renounced all political doctrines and that even before they were incarcerated they had come to gain greater maturity.
	My experience of them shows that they are now far more self-sufficient, that they were quite naive to believe that they could achieve anything by means of violence.
	Mr Van Wyk and Mr Du Plessis confirmed on numerous occasions that they realised that a change could only be effected through negotiation and talks.  What must be emphasised is that the two people concerned were very negatively influenced at a very early age, during puberty.  Research by various people show that the state of puberty is a stage at which rebellion can be expected. Young people at this stage are usually in rebellion against all views and norms.  It is a period of a search for identity and adolescence often elevate a person or persons to ... (intervention).

UNKNOWN: Will you please slow down a bit, the interpreter is finding it difficult to keep up with you. You may proceed, please.

JEANETTE THERON: That must be seen as the main cause of these very unnatural situations in which they were ... (intervention).

HASSAN MALL: Just a moment. Please give the interpreter a chance to catch up. I think it may be if she is reading out a statement which she has prepared, maybe she could hand that in and just elaborate on the points that she wishes to.

UNKNOWN: Mr Chairman, I will have it typed out. She only wrote it out during the course of the day.

HASSAN MALL: Oh, I see.

UNKNOWN: I will submit it in due course.  I suggest that she then just complete it. She is nearly finished, I think.

HASSAN MALL: Sure. Proceed, please.

JEANETTE THERON: It must be said that the two people as far as their changed views are concerned, that this did not happen upon their incarceration, but that these changes already started manifesting themselves before their incarceration of prison. These changes just developed further during their time in prison.   From a social work perspective, I can say that their prognosis is currently very favourable and that their rehabilitation has been successful up to date.

UNKNOWN: Mrs Theron, the first time that you had dealings with Mr Van Wyk and Mr Du Plessis and realised that they were quite genuine in their changed views, was there any mention of amnesty at that stage?

JEANETTE THERON: No, not at all, because I think at that stage they also did not realise that I would be utilised as a possible source in future.  They simply saw me as a neutral person, somebody who could listen to them, and could possibly advise them and also be a liaison with the outside world for them.

UNKNOWN: So you know both of them.  Would you be able to say whether their rehabilitation has reached such a stage that they would be able to be absorbed into society with good effect?

JEANETTE THERON: Yes, I am very positive about that.  You know, for the past 19 years, as I have said, I have worked as a social worker and I worked with people in prison, but also outside of prison, and I believe that if you look at their general development, and the fact that they are intellectually well-developed, that there has really been a change in their conduct, and the development in their insight is of such a nature that they could be of great benefit to society.

UNKNOWN: And their family structures, the structures to which they will be returning, would that assist them in becoming positive assets for society?

JEANETTE THERON: Yes, I believe that.  As a result of consultations and talks with both families, I could see that there are very sound family ties, their support systems are very healthy, there are very good opportunities for both of them, not only as far as housing is concerned, but also as far as work is concerned, the prognosis is good.

UNKNOWN: Mr Du Plessis has had serious problems in his marriage, of which you are aware. Would you be able to say that it would be necessary for him to pay a lot of attention to his marital relationship?

JEANETTE THERON: Yes, it would have been very good if he could have the opportunity to re-establish and strengthen his ties with his wife, in the outside world. It is an unnatural situation for him to be in prison, in restricted circumstances and to only to be able to see his wife very infrequently and for very short periods at a time, about 40 minutes per week.  These circumstances are very impersonal.  There is always a lot of people around.  It is therefore not always easy for a person in prison to maintain his marital relationship. It is very difficult.

UNKNOWN: Thank you. Just one question.  Are you able to express these opinions with safety, as a result of your training?

JEANETTE THERON: Yes, I think that as a result of my years of experience and also my post-graduate studies, that places me in a position to voice these opinions with authority.

UNKNOWN: Thank you, Mrs Theron.  Mr Chairman, I have no further questions.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY ADV RHOODE
NO QUESTIONS BY ADV GRIMBEECK

HASSAN MALL: Adv Mpshe?

UNKNOWN: Thank you, Mr Chairman, I have no questions.
NO QUESTIONS BY ADV MPSHE

JUDGE WILSON: Could you tell me when Mr Du Plessis was arrested, was that in November 1991?

JEANETTE THERON: I think so, but I am not quite sure.  I got to know them after September 1994, when they were admitted to prison, after being sentenced.

JUDGE WILSON: When was he married?

JEANETTE THERON: I think he was married about three months before being taken to prison.  He was admitted to prison in 1991 and he got married shortly before that.

JUDGE WILSON: Was he on bail during that time?

JEANETTE THERON: Yes.

BERNARD MAKGABO NGOEPE: Mrs Theron, I am not sure whether you said in your evidence that you got the impression that the two applicants had been manipulated or used?