Transitional justice is how a society responds to systematic or widespread violations of human rights.
The five key pillars of transitional justice are:
SACTJ’s focus is on achieving these five pillars of transitional justice for violations which occurred during the apartheid-era in South Africa, and other countries in the Southern African region.
Transitional justice involves a process of transformation after a period of pervasive human rights abuse.
Some aspects of this transformation occur quickly, whereas other aspects take place over many decades.
SACTJ focuses on achieving these five pillars of transitional justice for violations which occurred during apartheid in South Africa, and in other countries throughout Africa and globally.
South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) began the process of bringing the truth to light concerning violations which occurred during the apartheid era. However, the brief time allocated by the TRC (hearings for victims and survivors lasted only 18 months), and lack of resources to follow up on evidence, meant that many thousands of South Africans did not make it to the TRC, or were not recognised by the process: their stories have not been told. Today, decades later, most of these people still struggle to access truth, redress, reparation and justice.
Truth, reparation, and holding perpetrators to account are the cornerstones of transitional justice.
As well as fighting for these fundamental aspects of redress, the SACTJ works to prevent the recurrence of human rights violations. This includes ensuring the national and international human rights frameworks are put in place, and that our government subscribes to them. One example is the Apartheid Convention, which, quite surprisingly, South Africa has not signed. We also work to prevent torture in police and prison custody in South Africa, by contributing to oversight mechanisms. Our members also advocate for transitional justice throughout Africa and internationally.
Our members memorialize those who lost their lives in the struggle for democracy through artworks and cultural exhibitions.
Our members also provide therapeutic and healing spaces to those who experienced and still suffer trauma from human rights violations.
