ArticlesMediaTransitional JusticePolitical Manipulation Undermines the Judiciary and Credibility of the LawIn its famous, and controversial, statement on the judiciary of 8 January 2005 the ANC, argued that there was a need to 'transform the collective mindset of the judiciary to bring it into consonance with the vision and aspirations of the millions who engaged in struggle to liberate our country from white minority domination'. Failure to do so, the ANC… Read More CSVRDecember 2, 2007
ArticlesMediaCriminal Justice, Transitional JusticeANC Power Struggle Undermines JusticeIn the midst of the current crisis of crime and violence it appears almost trite to state that there is a need for greater respect for justice and the law in South Africa. Recent studies of hijacking networks and organised criminal gangs highlight how attitudes of ambivalence towards the law on the part of many South Africans contribute to an… Read More CSVRNovember 11, 2007
PublicationsResearchjudiciary, Transitional JusticeAfter the Transition – Justice, the Judiciary and Respect for the Law in South AfricaThis following paper is intended to provide a perspective on questions related to the independence of the judiciary in South Africa (2007). While South Africa was no longer in the heart of its political transition, the legacy of apartheid rule was still strongly felt and post-apartheid “transformation” continued to be a central concern of government and society more broadly. But… Read More Amy Gordon and David BruceOctober 1, 2007
PublicationsResearchMemory and Memorialisation, Transitional JusticeHistory on Their Own Terms: The Relevance of the PastThis report highlights the findings of research conducted with educators; learners; survivors; children and grandchildren of survivors; ex-combatants; and professionals working within the field of history, memory and memorialization. The report focuses on themes of life in the new South Africa; reconciliation and the role of memory and forgiveness in the reconciliation process; understandings of the TRC; learning about the… Read More Ereshnee Naidu and Cyril AdonisOctober 1, 2007
ArticlesMediaTransitional JusticeBackroom Deals with Apartheid Perpetrators Undermine TRC RationaleFrom Fiji to Burundi, from Nepal to Colombia and from the DRC to Canada, South Africa's negotiated transition and its Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) continue to be viewed by many around the world as the paradigmatic model of a country moving from authoritarian rule and civil conflict, to democracy and reconciliation. Yet the high price paid by many of… Read More CSVRJuly 29, 2007
PublicationsResearchReconciliation, Transitional JusticeThe Politics of Restorative Justice in Post-Conflict South Africa and BeyondThis report summaries the key takeaways from a 2 day conference which examined selected aspects of the model of restorative justice in post-apartheid South Africa. Read More Kris Vanspauwen and Ricky RöntschSeptember 21, 2006
