Human Rights Violation Hearings — Worcester — 1996-06-25

CHAIRPERSON: [indistinct] free time, but most seriously we saw some of the testimony that was given yesterday and again we are overwhelmed by the horror and the awfulness of what we knew took place, but each time we are told this, it is as  if we  really we do not know the depth  of evil and ugliness.
But what gives hope to our country is what we constantly want to underline.  The generosity that people have in their willingness to forgive people who have - who have been hurt so badly.  And we do believe that God wants to bless our country -  to heal our country.  And we thank all of those who are willing to come forward to testify -  to tell of the anguish and the pain that they experienced in the past so that we as a nation may acknowledge that pain.  We as the nation may then help as we open those wounds to cleanse them to pour ointment on them and so to heal them.
We are asked to work for the promotion of National Unity and Reconciliation and it is the work of every one of us and we thank God for all of you who come also to support  those who come to tell their stories.
And we hope that as we hear the stories each of us will form a firm commitment that we will never allow such things to happen again in our country.  We look to the past so that we must never repeat those awful things.
May I introduce the panel - on my right is Pumla Gobodo.  She is a committee  member of the Human Rights Violation Committee based in Cape Town.  And on my left is Dr Alex Boraine who is the  Deputy Chair of the Commission and is also a member of the Human Rights Violations Committee.  And on his left is advocate  Denzil Potgieter, a Commissioner  and member of the Human Rights Violations Committee.  And I hand over then to Dr Boraine.

DR BORAINE: Thank you Chairperson  may I say  how delighted  all of us are that you are here.  I've never known you to take a break, so you are  not starting today that's for sure - you got work ahead of you  and we are very-very pleased to have you as the Chairperson.
I'd like to before calling first witness, to say a word of welcome again to all of you and particularly to the Mayor and his wife Ms Williams who has  joined him today and we are delighted they are here.
There are people here I'm quite sure whose name should be mentioned you must forgive me if I don't  because I simply don't know your faces which I know I should, but you all very special and very welcome.
Now, the Archbishop thought that there may not be anybody here today so he brought his own congregation just to make quite sure we have some people.  But in particular we are very-very delighted to have Ms Leah Tutu with us the wife of the Archbishop we very-very please to see her, together with daughters Thandi  and Mpho who are here and were here for the special celebrations that took place over the weekend.  We are very pleased to see you.
There's also Ms Morrison who is sister to the Archbishop and Ms Radebe whose also a sister and we are delighted to see you. Mr Martin Kenyan from United Kingdom who is with the family group,  Jerry Dumfrey from Boston and Ms Dumfrey and Senator Roger Ellis.
Also I  understand Father Beacon from Los Angeles and Dr Battle from Swayne  in the United States.  Ms Regis from Pasadena and her son who also here  and Mr & Ms Bob Fitzgerald from Montana.
Now I'm sure I've left somebody out,  but you should forgive me and a little later on - because  I'm also nearing that retirement period.
Well we are starting in a somewhat  different way today  in that the first witness is not so much a victim of Human Rights Violations with a particular story to tell.  But someone who has been a Pastor and Minister to his people, and who knows something about the background and the history of so many actions which took place and it was  thought good to have such a context given to us.  So I invite without any further ado Father Michael Weeder to come to the witness stand please.
Father Weeder you are very welcome, we are very grateful to you for coming and  you will know that if we had unlimited time we would be glad to see for the whole morning.  But our is limited we have number of witnesses we want to hear and  I gather that you are going to read a brief statement.
I think I must ask you if you would please stand to take the oath like anyone else.
MICHAEL WEEDER Duly sworn states

DR BORAINE: Thank you very much indeed again a very warm welcome and we will listen to your statement  with interest.  Thank you.