Special Report Transcript Episode 1, Section 9, Time 33:40

Reliving the past was traumatic for most witnesses, but throughout the week there was a comforting hand to help them through the pain. // Mafu, we’ve been seeing you all week sitting in this chair with your hand on somebody’s shoulder. What was your role here in East London? // Max, I’ve been employed by the Commission as a counsellor for the victims. So, my task here was to make sure that when the victims give their testimony here the part that I’m taking is as simple or is as smooth as one try. We know it is not an easy thing for people to relate what has happened to them. It is very common for people to sort of repress whatever has happened with them in the past. So, the Commission now, here it is saying to the people, relieve what you have repressed so far. And it is not easy emotionally for people to relieve that. So, for me it was to sort of let them deal with those emotions, if they want to cry they must cry, all I was here for was to make sure if they cry they know that there is somebody next to them that can make that easier for them. If they feel that they cannot go on they know that it is not abnormal for them to do that, they can easily stop and I can take them out. So my brief was to make sure that it is been done as comfortably as possible for them. It is not easy, it is not nice for them to do, but it has to be done. So, I was here to smooth that part for them. // Did you feel a lot of pain coming from these chairs this week? // It was painful, it was stressful and yes Max. You know, this morning, as you know the second day and the first day was a bit traumatic for us, but the important thing is that as painful as it was it is important that your emotions must not supersede the emotions of the victim. So what I was doing here, as stressful as it was or painful as it is for me, is to become strong for the victim. ‘Cause if I break down now, it means I’m saying to the victim she must break down. So, it means, in a way here am I, Nocawe, my emotions so that the person giving testimony is strong. So it meant, I had to be strong for the victim and it also meant that when I get home, it means I have to unwind, you know. // And somebody has to put a hand on your shoulder. // Something like that, but you know the usual thing I do whenever I’m from work home, I take my tracksuit and I jog.

Notes: TRC hearing, East London; Max du Preez interviews Nocawe Mafu.