An exploration of the extent of accountability and reconciliation arrived at to date in South Africa calls for a look not only at the agenda and impact of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission but also at the role played by state and other structures after 1994. This article suggests that accountability and reconciliation have been limited, although the responsibility for this may lie more with choices made after the TRC was established than with the commission's work itself. This article was written for a special journal issue on the 30th anniversary of Argentina's truth commission, which includes reflections on the South African TRC.
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Accountability and National Reconciliation in South Africa_Brankovic 2013
Jasmina Brankovic is a transitional justice researcher and practitioner. She is a Senior Researcher with the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation and the Associate Editor of the International Journal of Transitional Justice. With a focus on participatory methods, she conducts research on inequality and socioeconomic transformation, climate justice, gender in conflict, and civil society strategies for social change in transitional contexts.
