KHAMPEPE COMMISSION: What would Mandela do? Lessons for Mbeki and SA in confronting the past

The Khampepe Commission of Inquiry, tasked with examining the delayed prosecutions of apartheid-era perpetrators, has reignited discussions about what Nelson Mandela would have done in the face of such injustice. The commission, sitting for 90 days, has unveiled the "heart of darkness" that existed during apartheid and the challenges faced by the ANC leadership, which is accused of its own abuses.

Activist and lawyer Griffiths Mxenge, who was killed in 1981, provides a stark example of the brutality faced during that era. Mxenge's mutilated body, with his ears hacked off and throat slit, underscores the severity of the violence. Veteran lawman Dumisa Ntsebeza testified that the suppression of TRC cases was a "terrible stain" on South Africa's history and that victims' families were entitled to justice, not just legally but morally.

The inquest into the murder of Black Consciousness leader Steve Biko, conducted by forensic pathologist Dr Shakeera Holland, revealed that Biko suffered multiple injuries, including necrosis in parts of his brain, damage to his lungs, and signs of kidney failure. These brutal assaults, inflicted over days, point to the depths of depravity that existed during apartheid.

Despite the horrors, some white South Africans, like Cornio Smit's father, Johan Smit, expressed a sense of relief and forgiveness, despite the tragic loss of his son. Smit's statement, stating that he did not harbor hatred for Zondo, highlights the complexities of dealing with loss and grief in the context of apartheid's aftermath.

The Mandela effect, as experienced by ordinary South Africans, demonstrates the varying reactions and coping mechanisms in the face of such profound loss and injustice. As the Khampepe Commission prepares to conclude in December, the focus on confronting the past and seeking justice remains a pressing issue for South Africa.