Date:            00/10/09

As a white child growing up in Apartheid South Africa - I was confronted with the seperate lives of black and white.  The way I dealt with it in my mind was to classify blacks and whites into the "haves" vs "the have nots".  I grew up thinking that it was OK for blacks to live in shacks and ride on seperate buses and to use seperate toilets as they were used to living in "dirty conditions" after all "they" had always lived in mud huts.  "They" also did not do things the same way as "us".  They spoke loudly, They smelt,  What was worse "they were communists".

I have since come to realise how profoundly our lives are shaped by subconcious or sometimes concious perceptions of situations around us.  It is inately human to judge, and very common to pre-judge, and therein lies my greatest failing.  I deeply regret not seeing the person who was beneath, but only the black skin - not stopping to talk or understand, but only to dismiss - not seeing past my own selfinduced confinement - but only to confine others by my blinkered view.  To my fellow South Africans who I have conciously or perhaps more often subconsiously dismissed, disregarded, disparaged and disrespected,  I unconditionaly apologise for my thoughts and actions.  Please also forgive me for my future failings as although I honestly seek to reconcile, the prejudice is deep within.

Mike Begg, Cape Town
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Date:            00/10/30

As a South African I would like to apologise for the damage done to the nation by my group, the white people.
I acknowledge that we have brought pain and suffering to the country.
 
Many of us are quick to claim that we brought prosperity and a host of positive contributions to South Africa.
Maybe we did, but I would like to take responsability for the negative things as well, to restore the balance.

As an individual it is difficult to accept responsibility for crimes committed by members of my group, but it seems necessary in order to move forward.
 
I apologise for what we have done to build barriers between people, and for the hurt caused by Apartheid. I am grateful to those from my group who took a stand against it, and thank them for their sacrifices.

I understand the fears of people of my group under Apartheid but condemn the way we allowed harmful deeds to prevail. 

I commit myself to justice, reconciliation, and making amends to help our country.

Branimir (Branko) Bufacchi, The Hague, The Netherlands
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Date:            00/11/01

I am a student at the University of Virginia. Not until last year did I know anything about apartheid.  Now I am
writing my thesis on the efforts of racial reconciliation in South Africa and the United States.  I think you should be proud of the  TRC and of doing what the US has failed to do: confront our past so we can build our future together.
I give thanks to God for the incredible courage shown by so many South Africans in the face of evil.
I hope that both of our countries will some day be free of all hatred and disunity.  Until then I will be praying for your country and mine.

Erica Lloyd, Charlottesville, Virginia USA
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Date:            00/11/01

As an American Citizen, I would like to apologize for the lack of recognition I had for the problems in South Africa. I recently began a research project to complete my schooling, which deals with human rights violations throughout the world. I have been horrified and shocked at the breath and frequency of these violations, and as stated above, I would like to apologize for not acting sooner, and for not taking an active stand against injustice both in South Africa, and around the world.

anon, Boston, MA USA
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Date:            00/11/03

I as an white Afrikaner I would like to apologise to all, for the hurt and pain for the system our parents, grand parents and great grand parents enforced on this country.
May they and I, who by default was part of the system, be forgiven and accepted as true citizens of this great country.
May we forgive but may we never forget what history has shown us!

Karel Marais, Pretoria
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Date:            00/11/28

Man has always been our Brother, God being our Father and Christ our Redeemer.

As for the us and our families in the Francis McDonald Gow, AME Church, Benoni, Lay Organisation members, we have made peace with our souls and then with our brothers and sisters in our beloved South Africa.

May God Bless Africa and its Sons and Daughters

Sello Tsoabisi, 1st Vice-President AME Church Lay Organisation, Benoni, SA
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Date:            00/12/29

 To the wonderful people of South Africa

I regret deeply and wish to personally apologise to the peoples of South Africa for not assisting in stopping, protesting or objecting in any way to the evils perpetrated upon them during the apartheid years. I regret not being more politically aware and 'not seeing' what was so obviously happening there. I have just read Bishop Tutu's book "No Future Without Forgiveness" and cannot agree more with his sentiments.

In Zimbabwe at present, the white people are now the minority without any real recourse to the law, and are experiencing in a very small measure what the black people of South Africa experienced for so many years. It is a very humbling position to be in.

We have so much to learn from the magnanimous display of confession, repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation displayed by Mr Mandela and so many other extraordinary people in South Africa. Zimbabwe desperately needs your prayers, support and help to enable the same spirit to prevail.

Thank you, thank you, thank you South Africa and South Africans. May God continue to heal and make whole each one of you personally, and all of you as a nation. May he restore to you what "the canker worm has stolen" and bless you with peace and prosperity in all your ways in the future. I pray South Africa will grow from strength to strength as an example in the world of what can be achieved through forgiveness.

Yours sincerely,

Brenda Adamson, Harare, Zimbabwe

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