Special Report Transcript Episode 54, Section 3, Time 15:46

‘Ladybrand Town Hall’ // When he arrives at the Town Hall, Lyster who’s to chair the proceedings, makes a quick count of the witnesses and the hearing gets underway. // Good day Mr. Mfazwe. // Good day. // Mister Ivan Lax will help you take an oath before we start with your story. // Do you have any objection to taking an oath? // No. // Do you swear that the evidence that you will give before this Commission will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Please raise your right hand and say, I do so help me God. // I // They tied my two hands between my legs, he put two chairs. They put a stick and performed a helicopter method, so that I should linger around and that made me hurt on my shoulders and on my lower limb. I was detained again for the second time in 1988 when I was taken back to Grootvlei Prison. I was just taken. There was no question or information. They just said the minister of law and order who is Adriaan Vlok instructed them that I should be taken back to prison. Our decision was to start a hunger strike; we were 16 in all. We started on the 24th and after seven days the comrades requested us to withdraw the hunger strike. I was left on my own; I said no more turning back. In our cells we wrote on the walls ‘release, or death.’

Notes: People arrive; Hearing commences; TRC testimony: Thamsanqa Mfazwe