The Truth And Reconciliation Commission (TRC)

‘When Mr. Nelson Mandela became president in 1994, he said “it was time to heal the wounds and build a new South Africa”’. This was when the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was established under the chairman of Archbishop Desmond Tutu which turned out to be successful. The TRC was assembled after the end of Apartheid in 1995 and was based on healing, forgiveness and reconciliation (telling the truth) of victims which included individuals, groups and offenders.
The TRC was a court-like body and anybody who felt that they had been a victim of violence could come forward and be heard at the TRC. Perpetrators (someone who has committed a crime) of violence could also give testimony (an account giving evidence) and request amnesty (an
In terms of the truth, many pointed out to the tensions between psycho-social and legal truth. Psycho-social is the subjective story and legal truth dedicated only to facts. Many argued that the truth that emerged from the TRC was limited There was a differentiation between three ethnic groups, the Afrikaners, the Xhosa and the English speaking people. All three ethnic groups perceived the TRC to be effective in bringing out the truth, however in varying degrees. The Afrikaners perceived the TRC to be less effective than the Xhosa viewed it. The differences in opinions about the effectiveness can contribute to how each group viewed the TRC. Some viewed them as not entirely accurate as many people would lie in order to keep themselves out of trouble while receiving amnesty for their crimes given that the Commission would grant amnesty to some with consideration given to the seriousness of the crimes committed. Some said the TRC only helped them to remember the horrors that had taken place in the past when they had been working towards forgetting such things. “What good does the truth do? How does it help anyone know where and how their loved ones were killed or buried?” These words said in March 2010 by
The TRC brought the country as a whole, sections of society and to individuals. Nothing short of a miracle can heal a country. The terms of reconciliation, forgiving and healing became acceptable terms to many who were affected by apartheid. South African history was also given a chance to be recorder and people were given an opportunity to clear their conscious and find peace in the truth. For the first time, it was possible to see beyond the pain that many had suffered. South Africa would have been much poorer as a country if the truth had not been told and over 22 000 victims told their stories of abuse during apartheid. The TRC granted amnesty to qualified perpetrators in a gesture of peace and reconciliation. The evidence given revealed the existence of the Third Force, the squads of the Vlakplass, the Bureau of State Security (BOSS) and the Civilian Cooperation Bureau (CCB) as well as the abuses these groups committed such as political assassinations, torture and ambushes. Evidence had showed that police killed activists and this provided closure for the families. Even reluctant whites were forced to face the truth by watching events of the TRC unfold on the SABC news. Some say that the TRC prevented a civil war and therefore laid a foundation for a better South Africa. The TRC was also confronted by a number of challenges as it was not accepted by all parties to the conflict. Many people felt that the perpetrators of violence