South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has established a judicial commission of inquiry into the alleged suppression of investigations and prosecutions of apartheid-era crimes despite recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
The commission will probe whether improper influence or deliberate obstruction prevented the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) from acting on cases referred by the TRC, which concluded its work more than two decades ago.
“Through this commission, President Ramaphosa is determined that the true facts be established and the matter brought to finality,” said presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya.
The move follows a court application by families of apartheid-era victims who alleged that successive governments failed to act on TRC referrals.
As part of a partial settlement, Ramaphosa’s office – along with other involved government bodies – agreed to the establishment of the commission.
“This followed The Presidency’s statement in February 2025 in support of a commission that will look into the delays in the prosecution of these cases,” Magwenya added.
While the parties agreed on establishing the inquiry, no settlement was reached on other aspects of the court application.
These include a request for a declaration that government bodies acted unlawfully and violated constitutional rights, as well as claims for constitutional damages.
The government maintains that these issues are best addressed by the commission and will be included in its terms of reference.
Ramaphosa has acknowledged the pain and frustration of victims’ families, many of whom have waited decades for justice.
The TRC, formed in 1995 after the end of apartheid, was tasked with uncovering human rights abuses committed between 1960 and 1994.
It offered amnesty to perpetrators who fully disclosed politically motivated crimes while referring cases involving those who did not apply or were denied amnesty to the NPA for possible prosecution.
However, many of those cases have been shelved without action for years, prompting accusations that political interference prevented justice from being served.
The Presidency is expected to announce the head of the commission, its terms of reference and time frames in the coming weeks.
JN/APA