Special Report Transcript Episode 78, Section 5, Time 29:00

Welcome back. At the end of last week’s special hearing Winnie Madikizela-Mandela spoke about her concern for the soldiers who fought on both sides of the apartheid struggle. She specifically referred to the soldiers who fought the white government’s war in neigbouring states. Earlier this year we showed you a programme on the scars left on the soldiers who fought in South Africa’s dirty war in Angola and Namibia. The war spanned almost two decades and many, many of those who returned from that war alive today carry wounds that did not heal. Scars of the mind, scars of the soul, the Americans called it Vietnam syndrome. South African soldiers called it ‘bossies.’ Psychologists call it post traumatic stress syndrome or PTSD. These men did not choose to fight at this war. If you were male, white and over 18 you had no choice and those that did resist paid a heavy price. Soldiers called it ‘going to the border.’ We’ve had so many queries from people who missed this documentary earlier this year that we decided to show it again today.

Notes: Max du Preez; SADF war scenes