FRIDAY, 3.30PM
WINNIE MADIKIZELA-MANDELA appeared reluctantly before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on Friday, her 64th birthday.
Subpoenaed to a closed hearing to answer questions relating to her alleged links to 18 gross human rights violations, Madikizela-Mandela requested the inquiry to be public so that “the matter can be dealt with once and for all”.
Her counsel, Ismael Simenya, criticised the TRC investigative team’s legal competence to issue a subpoena on his client. He said the commission had been less than confidential in its dealings with the matter, and that the subpoena had been an infringement of Madikizela-Mandela’s rights.
Simenya said it was not necessary for her to appear in person on Friday, and it seemed the TRC was the only group in the country which was not aware that she is celebrating her 63rd birthday on Friday. He added the commission had been less than friendly with someone who was not an accused, but only a witness.
Despite questioning the TRC’s legal competence, he said Madikizela-Mandela had requested a public hearing to settle the matter once and for all.
FRIDAY, 4.30PM
After adjourning in the late morning to consider Madikizela-Mandela’s request for an open hearing, the hearing was resumed in the afternoon with the news that the commission will grant her request for an open hearing, but that the in camera hearing will continue as planned.
Commission investigative unit head Dumisa Ntsebeza said the in-camera session will continue on Friday and Saturday as scheduled, and a public hearing will be arranged for November 24. The media were barred from further proceedings.
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