Human Rights Violation Hearings — Benoni — 1997-02-05

MR SHABANGU: At home they suspected that something was wrong, because I was delayed, because they have already heard that in the morning something happened, that train violence took place and that was the very train that I used to use.
 Also, I had my card and they phoned to my work place to inform them about me.

MS SEROKE: Do you still live with your parents?

MR SHABANGU: No.   My parents are in the Northern
Province.   I come from the Northern Province.

MS SEROKE: Thank you Lazarus.

MR LEWIN: Lazarus, just one last question, if I may.  When you did get treatment was that at the Hillbrow Hospital?

MR SHABANGU: Yes they transferred me to Hillbrow Hospital.

MR LEWIN: Because what I would like to suggest, we are very grateful to you for coming to tell us this story and
we feel very much for the obvious pain that you still feel and there is nothing specific at this stage that we can recommend.  But what we could recommend is that you yourself find counselling assistance, because I think that would help you.   
 We can make recommendations to our Reparation and Rehabilitation Committee to assist you, possibly to look at the medical situation again.   But also, to help you psychologically, because clearly you have gone through a very traumatic time which is affecting you, and that is quite understandable and what we would like to do is to urge you to keep going. 
 The fact that you manage to stay on at the same job is a big plus for you and we need to congratulate you for that, but we certainly urge that you look at the possibility of applying for counselling and if necessary, we will certainly make that recommendation as well.
 So we would like to thank you very much for coming to tell us this story and sharing it with us and we wish you well.  We wish you strength. 
 Thank you very much.

MR SHABANGU: Ok.   Bye-bye.

MR LEWIN: Thank you.
 If you could just stay there so that I can just announce that we have come to the end of our hearings here today.
 I would like to thank everybody who has been here for their patience.   I would ask you please just to stay quiet because we will have a formal closing.
 Before we call on Rev Mbanda just to close the session for us I would like to express, on behalf of the 
Truth and Reconciliation Commission our very deep thanks to the people of the Benoni City Council, to the Mayor, to the Councillors and others who have made this possible.
 I would also like to thank the police for the way they have kept us secure and for the help that they have given.   
 I would like to thank all of those who helped make this whole hearing possible, who helped us with finding the people to make their statements.
 I would like to thank the community groups, particularly Rev Mbanda and his Committee who have played such an important role in setting up this Commission, this Commission hearing here.  
 I would like to thank the Commission staff themselves who worked, as you can see, considerably to get everything up and running.   
 Thank you, again our faithful interpreters who follow us round, who never complain and who make it possible for us to make all of these hearings available to as many people as possible.
 I would also like to thank the media hiding behind the doors for sticking around, for passing on the stories 
and for being very much a part of the hearings.
 And if I could now please ask Rev Mbanda just to formally close the session for us and if we could all stand.   Thank you.

REV MBANDA CLOSES THE SESSION WITH PRAYER: .