Khampepe Commission resumes hearings into apartheid-era prosecution delays

The inquiry is investigating alleged efforts to obstruct cases involving perpetrators who did not receive TRC amnesty.

The commission of inquiry into Truth and Reconciliation Commission cases continued hearings in Newtown, Johannesburg, on 22 April 2026, probing alleged efforts to delay or prevent the investigation and prosecution of apartheid-era perpetrators¹².

The inquiry, chaired by former Constitutional Court Justice Sisi Khampepe, is examining whether authorities deliberately stalled cases involving individuals who were denied amnesty by the TRC or did not apply for it¹².

Previous testimony before the commission has addressed challenges faced by prosecutorial authorities. Former National Director of Public Prosecutions Shamila Batohi told the inquiry that her office was "stretched thin" dealing with backlogs from both the TRC and the Zondo Commission into state capture². The inquiry has also heard evidence concerning specific cases, including the unresolved prosecution in the Ahmed Timol matter, where gaps in TRC processes left questions unanswered².

Advocate Nomgcobo Jiba appeared before the commission to address allegations regarding the missing docket in the Cradock Four case, in which she denied involvement². The Cradock Four were anti-apartheid activists killed by security forces in 1985.

The hearings are being broadcast live to the public¹². The commission was established to determine whether systemic obstacles were placed in the path of post-TRC prosecutions and, if so, who was responsible for such obstruction.