The book is significant not only as the journey to reconciliation by a prominent Afrikaans cultural figure, but as part of the production of the TRC story. Krog's mediation of the TRC for public consumption needs to be assessed. She allows fleeting glimpses into the story behind the story. A news producer changed the angle and consequently the meaning of Krog's story on the TRC's reparation policy. Krog hesitated before accepting publisher Stephen Johnson's challenge to document her TRC experiences.
Journalists are also vultures to a certain degree, but there are journalistic ethics.
There's also an editor who imposes this ethic on the journalist. It's when one becomes creative that you reserve the right to do anything. Krog wasn't exaggerating. I'm not reporting or keeping minutes. At best, Krog doesn't distinguish her post-modern disbelief from De Klerk's overtly political cynicism.