Apla victim's mom forgives
2003-01-03 11:56
Cape Town - A mother whose daughter was killed during an attack on a church congregation almost 10 years ago, met and reconciled on Thursday with the man who ordered the killings.
Grina Fourie came face to face with former Azanian Peoples Liberation Army (Apla) director of operations Letlapa Mphahlele and some of the men who carried out the 1993 attack on the St James Church.
The two parties hugged and shared a lunch at Fourie's home, reports e-tv.
Fourie said that although she could not forget her daughter and what happened then, she had decided finally to put the killings behind her and forgive those who had done them.
Mphahlele, who had initiated the meeting, said afterwards that reconciliation needed to be taken from the boardrooms and government offices to the people.
Apla was the armed wing of the Pan Africanist Congress.
Over the years, Mphahlele has criticised the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, in which he refused to take part, and to seek amnesty for his role in many Apla attacks during the liberation struggle.
Last year, Mphahlele was cleared of charges ranging from murder and attempted murder to arson and terrorism.
- SAPA