President Cyril Ramaphosa has taken a significant step by ordering a commission of inquiry into the role of previous ANC governments in potentially obstructing investigations and prosecutions of apartheid-era crimes. This move follows demands from survivors and families of victims who have sought justice for over two decades.
The inquiry will investigate allegations of improper influence in delaying or hindering investigations that have been levelled against post-apartheid governments led by the ANC. While the ANC played a crucial role in ending apartheid and ushering in democracy in South Africa, criticisms have been raised against its governments for prioritizing national reconciliation over justice for victims.
The decision to launch a judicial commission of inquiry came after 25 survivors and relatives of victims of apartheid-era crimes filed a court case against the government, seeking damages for the failure to properly investigate unresolved killings, disappearances, and other crimes during apartheid. Despite recommendations made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) established in 1996, successive governments allegedly failed to act on these recommendations.
The TRC, chaired by Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, aimed to expose and record apartheid-era crimes and provide perpetrators with the opportunity to confess their roles. While some were granted amnesty, many were denied it, and some never came forward. One of the unresolved cases is that of the Cradock Four, black anti-apartheid activists who were abducted and murdered by security forces in 1985.
Several former police officers appeared before the TRC in 1999 in connection with the murders of the Cradock Four, but none were granted amnesty. To this day, no one has been prosecuted for these killings, highlighting the ongoing quest for justice for victims and their families.
Lukhanyo Calata, son of one of the Cradock Four victims, has been vocal about the government’s failure to act on the TRC’s recommendations and provide justice to victims. He and other relatives allege that government ministers intervened to prevent investigations and prosecutions of crimes.
While the majority of victims of apartheid-era crimes were black, there are also cases involving white victims seeking justice. The joint case against the government includes survivors of the Highgate Hotel Massacre, where five white individuals were killed in 1993. Inquests into these incidents have begun in an effort to uncover the truth and hold perpetrators accountable.
The new commission of inquiry ordered by President Ramaphosa signifies a step towards addressing long-standing grievances and seeking justice for victims of apartheid-era crimes. As the investigation unfolds, it is hoped that the truth will be revealed, and those responsible for atrocities will be held accountable.
