Our Programmes
Unfinished Business of the TRC
We advocate justice and reparations by supporting survivors and families still awaiting justice for apartheid era political crimes, engaging in advocacy, litigation, raising awareness, and collaborating with civil society.
Our Unfinished Business of the TRC Programme addresses the failure of the South African government to prosecute perpetrators of apartheid-era human rights violations who did not receive or apply for amnesty for their crimes before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), and the ongoing struggle for reparations by survivors of gross human rights violations.
This programme:
Assisted the Khulumani Support Group in bringing a court application against 20 large corporations in the USA under the Alien Tort Claims Act seeking compensation for the companies’ role in the oppressive and criminal system of apartheid, supported the publication of South Africa’s TRC Report in 2003 and provided seed funding towards the setting up of the NPA’s Missing Persons Task Team.
Coordinates investigative activities to determine accountability, where possible working with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and relevant government units. This work utilises the services of private investigators and experts, as well as pro-bono support from law firms.
Strives to enhance the effectiveness of the justice system through strategic interventions by improving investigations and prosecutions of apartheid-era crimes in the short term, while addressing systemic challenges over the long term. This work includes advocating for the establishment of specialised investigative and prosecutorial units focused on the TRC cases, as well as providing support for prosecutorial strategies, international criminal law indictments, and other relevant aspects of international law.
Works closely with civil society networks and coalitions to support long-term organising and campaigns for prosecutions, reparations pay outs and public awareness.
Psychosocial support is integral to all FHR programmes:
Apartheid-era victims of violence, their families and support groups face particular and distinct forms of stress given the protracted denial of justice and closure to their trauma. This intergenerational trauma is often in addition to continued socio-economic rights violations for many working class families. FHR prioritizes collective methods of healing and peer psychosocial support, using a Do No Harm praxis.
Continues to support victims, their families, and their support groups so that they can engage effectively with legal processes and advocacy necessary to obtain justice and truth and has done so since 2003. This includes facilitating access to investigative and legal support, and appropriate forms of psychosocial support to families for protracted trauma.
Improves the accessibility of archives for investigations, prosecutions and memorialisation, by conducting advocacy activities, litigation, partnering with relevant stakeholders and collecting records for archiving and creating a repository for it to be available to future generations.
Litigates to address legal and political compromises made since 2003.
See the repository of cases and progress on the Unfinished Business of the TRC on our dedicated website.
Unfinished Business of the TRC Team
Mosa Leteane
Senior Project Officer
Kasia Zdunczyk
Programme Manager
Contact us
For any queries related to our Unfinished Business of the TRC Programme