President Cyril Ramaphosa says he remains committed to seeing the families of TRC victims get justice
Image: GCIS / Phando Jikelo
President Cyril Ramaphosa says he remains committed to securing justice for victims of apartheid-era crimes linked to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), amid growing criticism from victims’ families over his stance on the ongoing court challenge involving the inquiry chaired by Sisi Khampepe.
Ramaphosa said the calls for justice from families whose cases were never prosecuted cannot be ignored. However, he stressed that the court process currently underway must first be allowed to run its course.
The matter is before the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, where an application has been brought seeking Khampepe’s recusal from the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations Regarding Efforts to Stop the Investigation or Prosecution of TRC Cases.
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said the commission was established following a settlement reached in litigation brought by families of victims of apartheid-era crimes.
“The commission will determine whether attempts were made to prevent the investigation and prosecution of apartheid-era crimes,” Magwenya said.
“President Ramaphosa will act swiftly after the court decision to ensure that the commission of inquiry proceeds with its work.”
Magwenya said the president was concerned about the current review applications, warning that they could ultimately undermine the interests of victims’ families seeking closure and accountability from the state.
“President Ramaphosa has been deeply concerned by the review applications currently before the court. These applications have the potential to defeat the main objective behind the establishment of the commission,” he said.
He added that the president’s priority was to ensure the credibility and integrity of the process.
“President Ramaphosa’s foremost concern is the integrity of an overdue process. The president believes the court is best placed to determine the matter. This does not mean he wishes to collapse the commission or prevent it from doing its work,” Magwenya said.
Ramaphosa’s response follows a press briefing held by TRC families on Sunday, where they criticised his legal stance in the matter. The families accused the president of effectively supporting an application by former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma seeking Khampepe’s removal and the nullification of the commission’s proceedings.
Reading a statement on behalf of the families, Thembi Simelane said they were alarmed after learning that Ramaphosa had filed his own affidavit and heads of argument in the review application.
“In his submissions, President Ramaphosa actively advances the demise of the very commission he himself established. He does not oppose the relief sought by former presidents Zuma and Mbeki,” Simelane said.
“More disturbingly, he claims that no due diligence was carried out regarding Khampepe’s previous roles. He admits that if he had known she served on the TRC as a commissioner and at the National Prosecuting Authority as deputy national director of public prosecutions, he would not have appointed her.”
The Khampepe Commission was established by Ramaphosa in May 2025 following litigation brought by victims’ families and the Foundation for Human Rights. Its mandate is to investigate why several apartheid-era crimes recommended for prosecution by the TRC were never pursued and to determine whether political interference or other actions prevented investigations from moving forward.
Public hearings began in late 2025. Mbeki and Zuma later challenged Khampepe’s impartiality, arguing that her previous roles could compromise her ability to lead the inquiry. Khampepe dismissed those objections in January 2026, but the matter has since moved into further legal proceedings. Ramaphosa has said he will comply with any court order requiring her removal.
Simelane stated that while the president had filed a notice indicating he would abide by the court’s ruling, his submissions seemed to support the former president's position.
“Despite the notice to abide, the president is effectively encouraging the court to grant the orders requested by his predecessors,” she said.
Magwenya said the president remains committed to ensuring that the commission continues its work once the court delivers its ruling and provides clarity on the way forward.