The Judicial Commission of Inquiry into alleged political interference in Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Cases has heard how the apartheid regime, the ANC and the administrations of two former presidents “betrayed” the father of one witness.
On Monday, the commission will continue to hear evidence from Lukhanya Calata, the son of Fort Calata, son of one of the Cradock 4 anti-apartheid activists killed by the security police in June 1985.
His testimony will be followed by Yasmin Sooka, the former Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
‘Betrayal’
Seeking justice after 41 years, last week, Calata testified that the government has failed them.
“My father was betrayed by his own state, the apartheid state, and then the ANC came into power, and then the ANC betrayed them again. So, two times. It’s not just my father and his comrades, but it’s all of the families, some of whom I’m sitting here representing directly on their mandate.
“The ANC and the governments and the various administrations that it’s led for 31 years now, have failed us in ways that we can’t even begin to articulate. It’s the worst form of betrayal. We didn’t expect better from the apartheid government, but we expected a lot better, a lot, a lot, a lot better from the ANC. So they have betrayed us,” Calata said.
ALSO READ: TRC inquiry set to begin after Zuma and Mbeki fail to recuse Khampepe
Mbeki
Calata also slammed former Presidents Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma.
This despite the pair mounting a legal challenge seeking the recusal of commission chairperson, retired Justice Sisi Khampepe.
“The TRC handed over its reports. It handed those reports over to former President Thabo Mbeki, not to anyone else. It handed it over to him, as the president of this republic. What did he do about it? What did his organisation do about it? What did his government do about it?”
Zuma
Zuma was also not spared.
“I despise politicians. I really do. I think they like the scum of the earth. Really like, generally, I’ve got no issues with political activists, because my father was a political activist.
“But politicians, they say one thing, and they do a complete other. When former President Jacob Zuma is mentioned to them directly, commissioners said they don’t know, and that they understand the plight of the victims’ families and all those kinds of things. But yet they fight tooth and nail to stop the proceedings of this commission,” Calata said.
He said both Mbeki and Zuma must account.
“I’m hoping that this commission will use the opportunity and the powers that this commission has to subpoena.”
TRC inquiry
President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Justice Khampepe last year to chair a judicial commission of inquiry to determine whether attempts were made to prevent the investigation and prosecution of apartheid-era crimes.
This, after about 23 families sued him for R167 million in damages over extensive delays in prosecuting apartheid-era crimes recommended by the TRC.
Zuma and Mbeki failed in their attempt to recuse Khampepe from chairing the commission last month.
The two presidents have since launched another legal challenge to force Khampepe to recuse herself from chairing the commission investigating the failure to prosecute apartheid-era crimes.
ALSO READ: ‘We await legal advice’ – Zuma considers appeal over Khampepe ruling in TRC inquiry
About the Author
