In a letter addressed to Dr Ali Bacher, managing director of the United Cricket Board of South Africa, and handed to Rousseau and company today, Roussouw, a resident of Soweto, said he regretted what happened and would like to help the victims.

The letter read in part: ``We cannot change the past, but we can soften the effect and the influence of such events on our present and future quality of life. I would like to offer my services, free of charge, to the people who were involved in this incident, help them work through it, and to cope with the side effects. In my normal line of work, I frequently counsel people who were expose to trauma, example bank robberies and hi-jacks. I believe that I can and will make a difference to these peoples lives.''

The regret of the South African people for the incident was conveyed to Rousseau by president Nelson Mandela on Wednesday night. In a telephone call to Rousseau, Mandela said he was deeply sorry for what happened and hoped that it would not spoil his visit or influence his impression of South Africa.