Special Report Transcript Episode 8, Section 2, Time 05:12

Colonel Gideon Niewoudt, one of the policemen mentioned by Joyce Mtimkulu was one of the men who stalled earlier attempts to get Mtimkulu’s story before the Truth Commission. His legal counsellor, Dup de Bruyn tried in vain to address the Truth Commission. // We furthermore delivered to Bishop Tutu last night a letter which deals with this and asked him to read it out this morning. He refrained from doing so. I therefore also wanted to ask the Commission that when they get a letter from an attorney, that says that certain policemen were going to ask for amnesty, that it is read out or reference is made to that. But when we ask them to put something straight, the record straight, then they refrain from doing so. To us that is not the even handedness that was promised by the Truth Commission. Furthermore, not withstanding what the full bench of the Western Cape held in their judgement yesterday, the problem that we have, and that is why we wanted just this opportunity this morning, is that the prejudice to a person is not when the Commission sits down and make a decision as to what they’re going to recommend about a certain person. The damage is done there and then. When people are allowed to sit in the Commission, give evidence, which are most of the time, or many times, hearsay evidence; sometimes double hearsay. // Is your client still innocent? // Yes // He hasn’t been involved in any killing? // Yes // Do you honestly believe that … does your client honestly believe that all the people that testified at the Truth Commission up till now has been lying? // As far as he’s concerned, and as far as he was implicated, yes. // Why do people lie about it? // You must ask people that.

Notes: Niewoudt outside Supreme Court; Dup de Bruyn interviewed

References: there are no references for this transcript