After years of frustration and legal battles over the stalled prosecution of apartheid-era crimes, the long-awaited Khampepe Commission of Inquiry will finally begin its public hearings on Monday at the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre in Johannesburg.
The commission — chaired by retired Justice Sisi Khampepe — is tasked with investigating allegations of political interference in the handling of Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) cases. Its establishment in May by President Cyril Ramaphosa came amid growing pressure from victims’ families who have accused successive administrations of failing to deliver justice nearly three decades after democracy.
Monday’s opening session will feature opening statements from legal representatives of key institutions, including the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), South African Police Service (SAPS), Department of Justice, and families of apartheid victims. Legal counsel includes Advocate Gwala SC (NPA), Advocate Mokoena SC (SAPS), Advocate Moroka SC (Justice Department), and Advocate Varney SC representing the families.
The first day will focus on procedural matters — such as whether witnesses may have their own legal representation — before the commission moves on to hearing oral evidence from witnesses and affected parties in the coming weeks.
The inquiry follows a landmark lawsuit filed in January by 25 families of victims and survivors, who took the government and President Ramaphosa to court for what they called “systemic obstruction” of justice in prosecuting apartheid crimes.
The TRC, established in 1996 under the leadership of the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu, uncovered chilling testimonies of murder, torture, and human rights abuses committed during apartheid. While more than 850 individuals were granted amnesty, the TRC recommended prosecution in over 300 cases — most of which have never reached trial.
Families of victims have long argued that political will, rather than evidence, has stood in the way of justice. The Khampepe Commission is now seen as a pivotal opportunity to uncover why so few cases have advanced — and whether political interference played a role in that failure.
As the hearings begin, many South Africans see this moment as a potential turning point in the country’s quest for historical accountability. For the victims’ families, it is also a test of whether the ideals of truth and reconciliation still hold meaning in a democracy built on the promise of justice.
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