Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Question 1

What was the TRC?

Answer 1

It was a court-like restorative justice body assembles in South Africa after the abolition of apartheid.

Question 2

What happened in the TRC?

Answer 2

• witnesses who were identified as victims of gross human rights violations
• invited to give statements about their experience
• some selected for public hearings
• perpetrators of violence could also give testimony
• request amnesty from both civil and criminal prosecution

Question 3

What was the mandate of the TRC?

Answer 3

• to bear witness to, record and sometimes grant amnesty
• to perpetrators of crimes relating to human rights violations
• as well as reparation and rehabilitation

Question 4

Through which committees was the work of the TRC accomplished?

Answer 4

• Human Rights Violations (HRV) Committee
• Reparation and Rehabilitation (R&R) Committee
• Amnesty Committee (AC)

Question 5

What was the criticism of the TRC?

Answer 5

• failed to achieve reconciliation between black and white communities
• believed that justice was a prerequisite for reconciliation rather than an alternative to it
• the TRC had been weighted in favour of the perpetrators and abuse

Question 6

What was a dilemma of the TRC?

Answer 6

• how to do justice to the testimonials of those witnesses for whom translation was necessary
• much of the impact was lost in translation
• brief attempt at translators mimicking the witness’ emotions, though quickly scrapped