Special Report Transcript Episode 32, Section 2, Time 02:39

Obviously you nearly died. // Yes. // How did you survive … that night? // I was sitting when the shooting started and a bullet must have passed about half a meter from me, that’s the closest that I know of. It could have been other shrapnel, but from where I was sitting that was the closest mark that I could see. The other marks were on the wall behind me but they could have come even closer. But I don’t know of it, it was too far away to tell. But I don’t think there is a physical dimension; I think there is only a spiritual dimension in that arena. I think it is only by the grace of God. God obviously wanted me in his great authority and mercy to not be killed on that evening. So, and that’s why I want to see Khaya too because I believe I have a great message to tell him. You know I have the message of the Gospel, I mean Christ came, he died for our sins. Khaya could be used by God as a great man in South Africa. He can be used by God to bring ‘versoening’ [reconciliation], what’s that in English? To bring peace and love amongst people. // You are a very forgiving man. After the attack, when did you become forgiving towards the people who have carried it out? Because immediately after it people were begging for blood, Archbishops were saying as soon as possible the perpetrators should be brought to book. // We can talk about forgiveness but it doesn’t mean much if the second party doesn’t also forgive. Khaya should forgive me for things. I have to forgive him. But that’s only the personal sense. I mean it’s almost irrelevant in the greater working of history and of the world. His repentance needs to be to God. I mean it was God’s people, it was God’s church that was… it was irrelevant that I was there, if you know what I’m saying. Khaya didn’t attack because Charl was sitting there. So, there’s no personal vendetta between the two of us. // The question I’m going to ask you is a bit tricky; you may find it very emotional. There’s this question of one congregate during the attack who returned fire. I think you’ve heard about it. One person who was a member of the church had to return fire and you know that he shot at Khaya and actually the blood samples that were used as evidence was from the gun wound that Khaya sustained when that church man fired at him. If it were you, armed with a gun, standing or seated at the position that that particular congregant was, would you have returned fire? // Yes, definitely. Because that’s not taking revenge, that’s called protection of the innocent.

Notes: Letlapa Mphahlele; Charl van Wyk

References: there are no references for this transcript