Issued by: Truth and Reconciliation Commission
November 20, 1997
STATEMENT BY DR ALEX BORAINE, DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON, TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION
It is our very deep hope that Mr P W Botha will appear at the second round of our hearings on the role of the State Security Council.
Two members of the Commission's staff served a subpoena on Mr Botha at about 12.30 pm this afternoon. It was accepted on Mr Botha's behalf by an officer of his security detachment. The subpoena requires him to appear and answers questions in Cape Town on December 5.
Notwithstanding his refusal so far to co-operate with the TRC by appearing, it is our sincere hope that he will change his mind, attend the hearing and assist the Commission to fulfil its mandate.
Mr Botha, as a former Minister of Defence, Prime Minister and State President, has invaluable information concerning the period under the TRC's review and without his input, the Commission's final report will be that much poorer. I am convinced that as a law-abiding citizen, he will have a change of heart.