Special Hearings — Children's Hearings — 1997-06-12

MS COLEMAN: Yes, all our documents are available to you.  We've got a whole library full, so you simply could have all the documents you need.
 I think that the missing was one of the weakest links in our organisation because we were so absolutely, you know, we had more cases than we could deal with, we would get unless the people themselves came to report, we never had the ability to actually go on with the tracing of those missing and that was a big weakness in our organisation.
 We just didn't have the time or the capacity.

THOMAS MANTHATA: Audrey, I must congratulate, you did a very sterling job.  I mean together with Max and Detainee Support Group.  Are you still in contact with the groups that you used to work with, because here we are seeing this mammoth work of debriefing and as you put it, to try to heal this groups from the trauma.
 Are you in a position to help us in this kind of work, in particular, perhaps I am complicating my question.  It even goes back to what you were saying about the White youths who objected to being conscripted and we know that once they were conscripted, part of some of the way to dehumanise them, was this intense training to hate the Blacks.  One wonders whether at this stage too, there are ways or groups that can help to debrief those groups in order to encourage you know, inter-racial coming together that in itself would help in ending this trauma that you are talking about?

MS COLEMAN: Yes, I think that is going to be a very hard thing to address, because those groups are disparate, they have grown up and they are wandering around the society and I don't know how many people actually admit to having a problem or even recognise a problem.  That is also a problem, we have got to recognise that you are disturbed.
 So I am not sure and I don't know of groups that are actually working and I am certainly at this moment in time, not in a position to do that short of work.  But it would be interesting and I would like to chat to you about it some time.
 I think it is an interesting thing to look at.

THOMAS MANTHATA: Thank you, no further questions.

MS MKHIZE: Ms Coleman, thank you very much for coming forward.  Also in your document it is indicated that you were a founder member of this organisation and I am sure having heard what you have been dealing with over the years, we believe you will also take care of yourself.
 This morning, I mean before lunch, we saw young people over-identifying with people who suffered whom they never met, but getting into roles, actually crying.  So I just think the task you had set for yourself, was a big one and as you were preparing this document, I should think you relived the whole experience and the memories of children you worked with, who died in the process, must be vivid today.
 We noted all the names that you have mentioned and our investigative unit will follow all those cases through.

MS COLEMAN: Thank you.

MS MKHIZE: We thank you very much for coming forward.

MS COLEMAN: Before I leave, there is a mistake.  I am not on the Human Rights Committee, I am a Detainee Parents' Support Committee person.  So this evidence all comes from the Detainees ...

MS MKHIZE: Thank you very much.