TRC inquiry hears of alleged secret political plan to halt apartheid-era prosecutions

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) inquiry, led by retired Justice Sisi Khampepe, has heard about an alleged secret political plan dating back to 2003 to stop apartheid-era prosecutions through legislation.

Anton Ackerman, a former director at the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) testified that Jan Wagener, who was representing the security branch, told him he was wasting his time pursuing cases connected to the TRC.

Ackerman earlier detailed how former President Thabo Mbeki devised a mechanism to shield perpetrators of apartheid-era crimes, who were not granted amnesty by the TRC.

Ackerman testified that at the time, he was preparing indictments against former security branch members when Wagener told him about high-level discussions between the SANDF, SAPS, ANC leaders, and former presidents FW de Klerk and Mbeki, where a political solution was agreed on to avoid further prosecutions.

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He stated that a new amnesty bill had been drafted that would allow the president to grant indemnity to those who made full disclosure of apartheid-era crimes.

Ackerman told the commission he was unaware at the time of any so-called “secret amnesty task team” that was behind this proposal.

He further alleged that Wagener warned him that if former security branch members were prosecuted, private prosecutions would be instituted against anc figures.

The commission is continuing its investigation into whether there was an attempt to halt prosecutions outside the TRC process.