3. The work of the TRC Flashcards
The TRC began its work in ____ , and for ___ years it held hearings around the country . These hearings were broadcast live on ____ and ________
1996
two
radio
television
How many victims told their stories to the TRC?
Over 22 000 victims told their stories at these hearings or made statements to the TRC
Which famous political leader chose the people who chaired the TRC?
The Commission hearings were chaired by people who were chosen by President Mandela .
Why were those people chosen?
These were people who had a history of promoting human rights and social justice ; they were racially diverse and came from a range of political backgrounds
How many committees were involved in the TRC?
Three separate committees were involved in the TRC
Why did people come forward to the committee on Human Rights Violations?
Firstly , people came to the Committee on Human Rights Violations to tell their stories . The public testimonies and national coverage of them helped South Africans to know more about the atrocities of the past .
What did the second committee investigate?
Secondly , the Committee on Reparation and Rehabilitation investigated the stories told by victims and gave them support where possible . In some cases, they were given reparations for their suffering and loss.
What did the third committee grant?
Thirdly , the Committee on Amnesty could grant amnesty from prosecution to perpetrators of political violence , if they could prove that their crimes were done for a political motive and not for personal malice or gain. Importantly , they also had to tell the whole truth and to acknowledge what they had done .
What else did the TRC investigate?
The TRC did not only investigate the actions of those who had worked for the apartheid government . It also dealt with the actions of the liberation movements , as well as those of politicians and their supporters in the pre - election violence.
What did the public testimony do?
The public testimony , both from those who had fought for or against apartheid revealed just how much violence had been carried out in the previous decades.
What range of stories did it reveal?
These ranged from well - publicised events , such as the murder of the Cradock Four and the Bisho massacre , to thousands of cases of ordinary South Africans who were caught up in the violence .
What was the contrast in what victims wanted as a result of the TRC?
Some people who told their stories wanted revenge ; others wanted compensation . Some , like Phila Ndwandwe’s family , simply wanted to find out the truth about what had happened to their family members who had simply disappeared.
