At the commencement of your Commission's hearing of evidence, keen interest was displayed by various adherents of the Scientology movement who gave evidence in regard to the manner in which progress is made in Scientology training, the advantages derived therefrom and in regard to the manner in which auditing leads to the achievement of the various Scientology grades or releases. This initial interest gradually diminished and several persons who initially indicated a desire to testify, ultimately abstained from so doing.
It accordingly often became necessary for Counsel designated to assist your Commission in the presentation of evidence to take active steps to persuade various persons to testify. It was, however, only necessary in a very few instances to issue subpoenaes to secure the attendance of witnesses.
The founder of Scientology, Mr. Lafayette Ronald Hubbard, was to the best of your Commission's knowledge at no stage subsequent to the appointment of your Commission and prior to the completion of its Report, within the boundaries of the Republic of South Africa or the territory of South West Africa. Accordingly your Commission was powerless to secure his attendance at any of its hearings. No application was made on behalf of Mr. Hubbard to testify before your Commission and no request was made to assist his entry into the Republic for the purpose of attending any of your Commission's sessions. It is accordingly necessary to place on record your Commission's regret that it did not have the benefit and assistance of testimony and information from the founder of Scientology in regard to the wide field covered by its terms of reference. Your Commission did listen to a recorded speech by Mr. Hubbard and did view a film featuring him.
The documentary evidence available to your Commission was submitted to it either as exhibits during the course of evidence or were obtained by your Commission directly from the Church of Scientology or by means of resources at its disposal. The documentary evidence submitted as exhibits are listed in annexure "C".
Your Commission is satisfied that the publicity given to the inquiry and its deliberations drew adequate public attention to the subject of its investigation. The Church of Scientology in South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., received unlimited opportunity of calling such evidence as it desired to adduce and availed itself of the opportunity.
Your Commission has come to the conclusion that it is neither necessary nor desirable to discuss in its Report all the evidence adduced before it. However, your Commission has considered the import of all the information at its disposal. In arriving at its conclusions and in making its recommendations, your Commission had regard only to the viva voce evidence adduced before it and to books and documents which unquestionably emanate from official Scientology organizations.
Particular mention must be made of the following persons and officials who made accommodation and other facilities available to your Commission for its meetings away from Pretoria: The Director of Building Services, Natal Provincial Administration for Durban. The City Librarian, City of Johannesburg for Johannesburg. The Regional Director, Western Cape, Department of Posts and Telegraphs, Cape Town for Cape Town. The Secretary, Local Transportation Board, Port Elizabeth for Port Elizabeth. The Town Clerk, Municipality of Grahamstown for Grahamstown. The Town Clerk, Municipality of East London for East London. The Provincial Secretary, Bloemfontein for Bloemfontein. The local representatives of the Department of Public Works at Port Elizabeth, East London and Bloemfontein for assistance in procuring the accommodation indicated above.
Your Commission desires to express to Mr. J.A. Coetzee, Under Secretary and Miss A.M.M. van der Merwe, Senior Typist of the Department of Health, its appreciation of the highly efficient manner in which the secretarial and typing duties of your Commission were executed by them. Your Commission particularly wishes to record its appreciation that they were willing to continue in office, Mr. Coetzee after his superannuation as from the 1st September, 1970, and Miss Van der Merwe (as Mrs. Erasmus) after her marriage on the 11th April, 1970.
It is with deep regret that mention must be made of the untimely death of one of your Commissioners and our colleague, Professor H.L. Swanopoel, on the 26th January, 1972. Your Commissioners were fortunate to have him with them and to benefit by his valuable assistance and contribution to the deliberations of your Commissioners. He associated himself in general with the approach of your Commissioners towards the subject of investigation.
In view of the advanced stage of your Commission's deliberations at the date of his death it was not considered expedient to ask you, Mr. President, to replace him.
With this introduction we, the undersigned Commissioners appointed by you to enquire into and submit recommendations and report on the matters mentioned in the Terms of Reference as reflected hereinafter, have carried out your directive to the best of our ability and respectfully wish to present to you in the chapters which follow our unanimous Report.
Unless there are any further investigations you may desire us to carry out, we regard our task as having been completed, and trust that you will find our Report to be of value.
Signed at Cape Town on this 9th day of June, 1972.
[signature]
G.P.C. Kotze, Chairman.
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P.[?]. Bosman, Member.
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G.J. Davitsz, Member.
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G.A. Elliott, Member.
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A.M.G. Maytom, Member.
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L. v. Z. Pretorius, Member.
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L.J.J. van Rooyen, Member.
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A.J. van Wyk, Member.