Amnesty Hearings — Phokeng — 1996-05-20

HASSAN MALL: Thank you very much.    This brings to an end the proceedings of this Committee today. The Committee will in due course consider the evidence and all the submissions that have been made on behalf of the applicants and on behalf of the State, on behalf of the Committee and in accordance with the provisions of the Act, will make known its decision when it is ready to do so.
	I wish to place on record, the thanks of my Committee for the assistance that has been given to us by various people, that made it possible for us to work in an orderly fashion.  Yesterday there was a report in the paper, in the morning, that there was some dispute or misunderstanding between people as to whether the Archbishop was going to sit on a particular chair or not and there was disagreement amongst members on the platform and so on.  I honestly do not know where the reporter got that information from.   He ought to have realised we all met for the very first time.  We were not familiar with the setting.  We did not know what the hall entailed, we did not know before we arrived what kind of seating arrangements needed to be made, and there was a little delay in organising these things, so that the work of the Committee could be done.  I was disappointed to PHOKENG HEARING	AMNESTY/GAUTENG
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learn that somebody saw it fit to report, that there were misunderstandings that caused this delay.  If you will remember, we started very, very shortly after 10 o'clock. We
had intended to commence at 10 o'clock, but the delay unfortunately could not be avoided.
	I also wish to thank this whole community that has sat patiently for the last two days and occasionally made known your feelings and your emotions, and I know that it is not difficult always to control one's feelings and emotions and powerful forces were at play.  You have behaved very, very well.  I thank you very much and I wish to remind you once again, that in the course of time the Committee which deals with the violations of human rights, will probably be sitting in this part of the world to consider representations by people who may have or who may desire to make representations to them, namely victims - not only the victims of this particular case, but victims of other political incidents and when that happens, I have no doubt you will be notified of the sitting of that Committee.  
	There may be some here who might not have felt courageous enough to publicly inform that they would like to make representations to us.   To those who might want to yet make representations to this Committee, you may do so in writing as expeditiously as possible and I think that anybody who wishes to do so, should after we adjourn, contact Mr Mpshe or Mr Brink.  They will give you the address to which you can send your written representations and it will be desirable if you do so within the next fortnight, without delay.
	Once again, I wish to thank you very, very much, and I now bring these proceedings to an end. 
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	There is a meeting of the Human Rights Violations Committee tomorrow, and I am told that those who wish to give evidence or make representations to that Committee
should stay behind and give their details, the names and addresses to members of the Committee who will be here to receive them.
	All right, that formally brings this meeting to an end.  Thank you very much.
COMMITTEE ADJOURNS