Ongoing Business of the TRC: A Journey Towards Justice and Accountability

A landmark initiative, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) aimed to heal South Africa from the wounds of apartheid. Established as the nation transitioned to democracy, the TRC sought to uncover human rights violations, grant conditional amnesty to perpetrators who made full disclosures and recommend reparations for victims. Decades later, much of this work remains incomplete, leaving victims and their families in a prolonged struggle for justice.

When President Nelson Mandela received the TRC's Final Report, it identified hundreds of cases for further investigation and prosecution. The commission had recorded over 22,000 victim statements, 7,000 amnesty applications, conducted over 2,500 amnesty hearings and granted amnesty in 1,500 cases for crimes committed during the mandated period from March 1960 to May 1994.

A Resource for Advocacy: The Promise of Accountability and Reparations

In response to the stagnation, the Foundation for Human Rights launched the Unfinished Business of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission website in 2020. This platform serves as a comprehensive repository, documenting apartheid-era atrocities and offering resources for families, legal professionals, researchers and advocates. By shining a light on impunity, it underscores the importance of justice as a cornerstone of societal progress.

Explore these pivotal cases that embody the ongoing struggle for justice:

The Cradock Four

Fort Calata, Matthew Goniwe, Sicelo Mhlauli and Sparrow Mkonto were murdered in 1985 after being detained at a roadblock. Despite multiple inquests revealing police involvement, no one has been prosecuted. Families continue their legal battle for accountability, most recently with a third inquest announced for June 2025. Tragically, the last surviving implicated perpetrator, Hermanus Du Plessis, died in May 2023, dimming the hope for direct criminal accountability.

Dr. Hoosen Mia Haffejee

In 1977, Dr. Haffejee died under suspicious circumstances while in police custody. Initially ruled a suicide, the case was reopened decades later thanks to his family’s persistence. In September 2023, Judge Zaba Nkosi ruled that Security Branch officers Captain Petrus Lodewikus Du Toit and Lieutenant James Brough Taylor were responsible for his torture and murder. Both officers, however, had passed away before justice could be served.

Nokuthula Simelane

Kidnapped and tortured in 1983, Nokuthula Simelane’s disappearance remains unresolved. Two of the four accused, Willem Coetzee and Anton Pretorius, stand trial as survivors of the original group implicated in her murder. However, repeated delays, including legal cost disputes and hearings on Coetzee’s fitness to stand trial, have hindered progress. Families continue to seek closure, fighting a justice system plagued by delays.

Moving Forward: Voices of Freedom

These cases underscore the enduring power of the Constitution in the pursuit of truth and justice. While they highlight the challenges of accountability, they also remind us of the strength of victims’ families and communities in keeping the spirit of justice alive. Let us collectively honour South Africa’s democratic ideals by ensuring that justice and accountability prevail.

To explore these cases and many others further and support the ongoing quest for justice, visit unfinishedtrc.co.za.

Image Courtesy: AFP via Getty Images

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