Families of the nine slain Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) combatants who died during apartheid have called upon government to reopen the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. They believe that there will be no closure if the families are not given an opportunity to express themselves about the pain they went through for years.
The families were speaking at a ceremony to return the remains of their loved ones in Cofimvaba in the Eastern Cape.
Mpolose Mangqangwana spoke on behalf of the families.
“The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has to take the responsibility because they have never been allowed to go and express themselves as to what happened with their forefathers. So, there is a need to re-open the TRC; there is a lot to be done. You can ask yourselves what do you think these people are eating, ever since their fathers were hanged up to the present moment as I am talking to you,” says Mangqangwana.
Meanwhile, Micheal Masutha says the issue about the re-establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is a policy issue.
“It’s a policy matter. At this stage, there is no government policy on (it). You will recall that the TRC Act that established the TRC itself ran its course and the work of the TRC … so, if there is anything new, that would mean the revisit of the policy itself, but at this stage, we are working on the basis of the work that was done, conducted by the TRC,” says Masutha.
