Issued by: Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Durban Office
September 04, 1996
The next sitting of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in the KwaZulu-Natal region will be in Newcastle over three days, from Tuesday September 10 to Thursday September 12.
This will yet be another human rights violations hearing, where scores of victims, survivors, families and relatives of victims will come forward to tell stories of suffering, torture, kidnappings, massacres, murder, bomb blasts, harassment and arson, that form part of atrocities committed against them and their loved ones in the past.
These hearings will be at the local town hall, now known as the Newcastle Transitional Council Town Hall. They will start at 9 each morning, over the three days that the truth commission will be in town
CASES:
In the mid-80's, Newcastle and its surrounding townships Madadeni and Osizweni, became the battleground where the fiercest fights for political turf and the hearts and minds of supporters were fought between the ANC and IFP.
It was also in Newcastle, at a later stage, where every effort was made and every means possible tried to break the back of trade unionists and crush once and for all, the emerging black trade union movement, which was led by Cosatu at the time.
Both battles had heavy casualties and left hundreds of orphans. People will be relating details of some of the horrible things that happened at the time.
Survivors of a massive bomb blast that ripped through the Newcastle magistrate's court on November 1986, will tell their story. Also, the Hlobane Mine massacre, which made headlines worldwide, will come under the spotlight during the truth commission sitting next week.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: CANCELLATION OF HEARING
The regional management committee of the truth commission has decided to cancel hearings of the commission which were scheduled to be held from September 25 to September 27 at the Christian Centre in Durban. The cancellation has been forced by a very tight hearings schedule. A new date for these hearings will announced at a later stage.
MEDIA ACCREDITATION:
Members of the media who will cover the Newcastle hearings or whoever needs more information about the hearings of the TRC, should contact me.
From: MDU LEMBEDE (TRC MEDIA SPOKESMAN) PHONE 031 3076745 / FAX 031 3076742 CELLULAR 082 4588464