Sameera Casmod | sameerac@radioislam.co.za
5 May 2025 | 13:26 CAT
2-minute read

30 years on: Still no justice for apartheid crimes, say families

South Africa’s promise of justice for victims of apartheid atrocities has once again come under the spotlight, as President Cyril Ramaphosa announces a commission of inquiry into why hundreds of apartheid-era crimes have never been prosecuted—even decades after being flagged by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).

For many, the announcement is too little, too late.

“There has been concern from families of victims to say that there’s something improper and untoward going on in the way that the National Prosecuting Authority has failed to prioritise these TRC cases,” says Qaanitah Hunter.

Speaking on The Debrief Report, Hunter recounted multiple high-profile cases that have seen little to no movement for decades. Among them is the case of Chief Albert Luthuli, former ANC President-General, whose mysterious 1967 death was long accepted as an accident. In 2018, the state promised a renewed inquest—but it has only been scheduled for 2025.

The implications are dire. Families of the Cradock Four, and of Griffiths Mxenge—killed by apartheid death squads—continue to wait. Their hopes for accountability dim with each year of delay.

“There is controversy around why you need a commission of inquiry that is going to be expensive and time-consuming, when that energy can be focused on the cases themselves,” Hunter asserts.

In practice, the inquiry risks becoming a deflection rather than a resolution. South Africa, once praised internationally for its peaceful transition through the TRC process, now faces criticism for abandoning justice midway. Confessions were made, but prosecutions were never pursued.

“What does that do? Does that really resolve the crimes and hold any particular human beings accountable? Not really,” says Hunter.

The consequences go beyond legal justice—they impact the soul of a nation. Hunter speaks of the rural families left behind, still grieving their children who vanished during the struggle, with no answers and no closure.

“It really is that woman who sits in Diepsloot or in the Eastern Cape, whose child disappeared and has absolutely no idea what actually happened to their son.”

As victims age and perpetrators pass on, the window for justice narrows. The moral question lingers: how can a democracy claim legitimacy if it shields the crimes of its past?

“If we don’t have real justice, how do we reassure ourselves that we won’t have another iteration of a crime against humanity that we experienced such as apartheid in whatever form in the future?” Hunter asks.

The path forward remains uncertain. But for the families left behind, justice delayed has long felt like justice denied.

Listen to the Debrief Report on Sabaahul Muslim with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat.