Johannesburg – South Africa’s efforts to achieve accountability for crimes committed during teh apartheid era faced a setback November 10, 2025, as a crucial inquiry was postponed due to legal challenges. The delays center on objections raised regarding the scope and procedures of the investigation into the deaths of anti-apartheid activists, including Solomon “Uthuli” Mkhabela.
The inquiry,established to examine unresolved cases of political killings and abuses perpetrated under the former regime,is now stalled while the High Court considers arguments contesting its authority and methods. Uthuli’s family has publicly called for a thorough investigation into his death, a case emblematic of the broader struggle for justice faced by victims and their families decades after the end of apartheid. The postponement raises concerns about further delaying closure for those seeking answers and accountability for past atrocities.
The inquiry’s mandate includes investigating allegations of torture, murder, and disappearances committed by state security forces and affiliated groups between 1960 and 1994. While South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) offered amnesty to perpetrators who fully disclosed their crimes, many cases remained unresolved, leaving victims without redress. This new inquiry aims to address those gaps and perhaps lead to prosecutions where evidence warrants.
