The TRC cases inquiry and the ongoing questions around accountability and justice for victims of apartheid-era crimes.

 

When South Africa embarked on its post-apartheid democratic journey, it struck a foundational compromise etched into the national memory: full, public truth in exchange for amnesty. Yet for hundreds of families who surrendered their right to immediate criminal justice, that promise transformed into a multi-decade silence. The TRC Cases Inquiry—the Khampepe Commission—confronts this enduring shadow, probing why approximately 300 priority dockets referred for prosecution lay dormant for over twenty years while state institutions defaulted on their constitutional duties. Colleen Makhubele spoke to Dr. Marjorie Jobson, National Director at Khulumani Support Group, Adv. Mayenzeke Chiya and Tiego Khoza, Political Analyst.