SACTJ held its third AGM on 27 August. Some attendees met in person in Cape Town, while others attended online. More than a constitutional obligation, the meeting served as a time to reflect on the past year for a prosperous 2026.
Adv. Naefa Kahn, SACTJ’s chairperson, presented her report by reflecting on what has been a demanding yet significant year for the coalition. She spoke with pride about how SACTJ’s committees and advocacy profile has strengthened, ensuring that the coalition’s work continues to impact on the struggle for justice in South Africa.
Cathy-Ann Potgieter from the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) and chair of Reparations Committee, reported on its work over the past year. Over the past year, the committee oversaw the mobilising work of the National Coordinating Committee that reached survivors in five provinces, creating opportunity for their demands to be heard at the National Reparations Conference in October 2024.
Haroon Gunn-Salie, the Chairperson of the Media and Communications Committee, reported on key developments including the drafting of a clear policy and strategy document, to be circulated and adopted at the Strategic Planning Workshop in October. He welcomed Nande Mbekela as the new Media and Communications Consultant, and editor of this newsletter. The handover of the website took place on 26 August by developer Gerlinda Vassen, paving the way for website updates and the rollout of quarterly newsletters, and increased visibility through social media platforms. Looking ahead, plans include partnering in a CSI-supported media and communications campaign and sharing the AGM outcomes across platforms to strengthen the coalition’s public profile.
The Foundation for Human Rights (FHR) gave an update on reopened inquests cases and their Grave Injustice: The Unfinished Business of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission exhibition opening at the Apartheid Museum on 27 September that showcases four reopened inquest cases that FHR has worked on for many years.
The AGM served as a reminder: the struggle for justice remains unfinished, but it is carried forward by a community unwilling to let history be silenced.
