Issued by: Truth & Reconciliation Commission
11 July 1996
PIETERMARITZBURG HEARINGS
HEARINGS
The third sitting of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in the KwaZulu-Natal/Free State region is to be held at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall, over three days, from Tuesday July 23 to Thursday July 25.
The Maritzburg hearings will yet be another victim-hearing, where families and victims of gross human rights violations will publicly relate - in spine-chilling detail, all atrocities that were perpetrated against them, especially, at the height of the violent uprisings in the Natal Midlands in the 80's.
A panel of five, made up two commissioners, Rev Dr Khoza Mgojo and Richard Lyster and three members of the commission's standing committees will listen to at least 32 different cases scheduled for the three-day sitting.
CASES
Although these hearings will cover atrocities that were committed mostly in Maritzburg, surrounding areas like Mpophomeni will feature prominently, especially violations that followed the reign of terror that was unleashed in this place during and after the highly disruptive BTR/Sarmcol industrial action, which turned brother against brother and transformed a once peaceful rural valley into blood-soaked killing fields.
So is Mpumalanga in Hammarsdale where, with lots of help from the third force, the battle between IFP and the ANC wrecked havoc and untold suffering, death, wide-scale destruction and misery.
INTER-FAITH CHURCH SERVICE
As it has become customary in the Truth Commission, on the eve of the hearings in Pietermaritzburg, a special inter-faith church service will be held in town to pray for the success of the work of the commission, and to pray for families and victims of human rights violation who would be appearing before the commission.
This very important church service will be on Sunday July 21 at the City Hall and commences at 2.30pm. Members of the public of all faiths and races are invited to attend this important church service where there will also be reading of scriptures and prayers by religious leaders of the Muslim, Jewish, Greek Orthodox, Hindu and Christian faiths.
MEDIA ACCREDITATION
All members of the media who will be covering these hearings need to be properly accredited and would therefore have to notify the TRC in time so that we know the numbers we need to cater for. For more information they should please contact Christelle Terreblanche on cellular phone number 082 4588461
From: MDU Lembede (TRC Media Spokesman) Phone 031 3076745 Fax 031 3076742 Cellular 082 4588464