Issued by: Truth and Reconciliation Commission
26 September 1996
The Research Department of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission has never employed Dutch researcher, Klaas de Jonge, and he is not on the Commissions payroll.
Research Director, Prof. Charles Villa-Vicencio, says the Dutch Instituut vir Zuidelike Afrika (a recently established grouping of research organisations) and the NGO, Kairos, have had an agreement with the TRC for some months to make accessible the wealth of research by anti-apartheid movements in the Netherlands.
They have asked Klaas de Jonge, who is in their employ, to handle the transfer of data to the TRC. "My understanding is that he has a Ph.D. in history, he speaks four European languages and is a skilled researcher. As such, we look forward to what he comes up with.
The Netherlands government has undertaken to cover the costs involved. Prof. Villa-Vicencio wishes to emphasize that there are a number of institutions, both international and South African, who are providing information to the TRC. "We accept what they give as information only - it is up to us to analyse, critique, assess and augment any information we receive from the different organisations and individuals who make material available to us. We have already received information from a range of people of different and conflicting ideologies and political perspectives. This information will be weighed, compared and assessed prior to the filing of any Final Report.
Issued by the Media Liaison Department of the TRC - further enquiries to Christelle Terreblanche - 0824588461