By Rachel Mohamed
The abrupt postponement of the investigations and prosecutions of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) until the week of the 26th of November has raised queries on the logistics of the commission as well as the future of the historic cases under its purview.
Speaking to VOC News, Lionel Adendorf, the spokesperson for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, explained the events leading up to the commission’s creation.
“We need to know why cases that the TRC’s Amnesty Committee referred to the police for investigation were never looked into, and why cases that were referred to the NPA for prosecution were never prosecuted. For this reason, the commission was created.
We sincerely hope to obtain a complete and comprehensive understanding of the reasons behind the delays in these cases, as well as the reasons they were never investigated or prosecuted. The political meddling, who was responsible for the delays, and what happened under the microscope are a few of the nuances and underlying messages. And why, after 23 years, have victims not gotten the justice they so desperately want?” asked Adendorff.
Additionally, Adendorf explains why the proceedings were postponed, pointing to logistical shifts in operation.
“Unfortunately, the matter that caused the delay or postponement was raised in that manner. Earlier this month, the commission determined that it would be better for the attorneys representing the witnesses to give their own testimony. Consequently, instead of using our own evidence leaders, the commission chose to rely on these witnesses’ attorneys. It is accurate to say that since 2005, twenty years ago, Advocate Ishmael Semenya, our chief evidence leader, has been advising the NPA on how to handle the TRC cases. This came up when we were discussing objections, specifically from government agencies and entities.”
Listen to the full interview:
VOC News
Photo: Pixabay
