EMILY FOURIE
He, Mr Chairman, he came to complain that he had been tortured and assaulted by - and he named four persons.  It was Mr Hennie Gerber, Johan van Eyck, a Mr Spies and a Mr Piet Niemand.  And in fact, he had been discharged from hospital and he came with a doctor's note to say that this man was assaulted by having an electric wire inserted in his left ear.  When first seen the drum was obscured by a lot of dry blood.  This was first removed under general anaesthetic, from the 5th of September 1989. His drum was then seen to have had a subtotal perforation. There is a 17% loss of hearing in that ear. He is to undergo - and then there is a very technical name, medical name here, operation on the 22nd. Now he went - he underwent the operation and everything and then he came to our office.  Needless to say we then contacted the head office and we asked for an immediate inquiry and an investigation into this allegation.
	At the initial inquest inquiry, it was then  decided that Mr Gerber, Mr Van Eyck, Mr Spies and Mr Niemand would be suspended pending a disciplinary inquiry.  That was towards the end of 1989.  I then whilst they were on suspension and we were now awaiting this hearing to proceed, which the company told us was going to be an internal investigation, that their human resources department would handle it.  And in fact we had one meeting where I was only allowed observer status.  Mr Van Eyck's brother, Adv Van Eyck then represented them at that hearing, and due to a lack of documentation having exchanged hands, it was then postponed.  
	I, subsequent to that, received a telephone call from Mr Fourie, and there then - Mr Thomas, who was part of their labour relations department, and asked if I could come and see them. When I got there they explained to me that the fact that Mr Gerber, Van Eyck, Spies and Niemand were suspended, it left them very short-staffed in this department and they could not proceed with investigations.  And, in fact, Mr Gerber was in the middle of some important investigation and they were basically pleading with me to allow them to lift the suspension, that they would continue with the disciplinary inquiry, but in fact, that these members would be confined.
	I then said I would only agree to that if I had an undertaking not from any other person in the company, but Mr McFarlane who held the highest position in the company .