Khulumani Galela Campaign at Constitutional Court, Johannesburg

Khulumani Galela Campaign

The Khulumani Galela campaign, which is featured in our Podcast series, gathered outside the Constitutional Court on 27 October 2022 following their meeting with the Department of Justice officials in Pretoria on 19 October 2022. 156 demonstrators of the campaign slept outside Concourt demanding answers for reparations from the DOJ. On the evening of 27 October the campaign leaders compiled their response to the latest correspondence, in which the DOJ stated only seven (7) members of the 156 now qualify for reparations. Some highlights from the leaders’ response are shared below:

“We have conclusive proof that their statement that only seven (7) members of the 156 demonstrators sleeping outside Concourt now qualify for reparations is a total fabrication – whether evidence of massive incompetence of the TRC Unit, indifference and disregard for our struggles, or proof of corruption and deliberate dishonesty remains to be seen. 

“Of the 156 members present dozens had participated in the TRC and were acknowledged victims; they have TTR numbers, and a number have received the R30 000 payout; many have applied for, and some have received education benefits. […] Of the pathetic message from the DOJ that only 7 of our members are “real” TRC recipients: they admit one of those 7 was not paid out the R30 000 […]. 

“We will finish compiling these figures and publicise them today – and present them to the DOJ and the Minister as proof of the abysmal failure of the post-TRC reparations process.

On the evening of 26 October, Concourt hosted a VIP launch of Justice and veteran’s Albie Sach’s book on the Constitution; the campaign members gathered as “a blue-light cavalcade came and parked in front of the building, rumoured to contain either President Ramaphosa or Minister of Justice Lamola.”  Demanding that the government address them after ignoring them on the steps of the court for 9 days, “in the rain, with little support… whoever was in the cavalcade did not come out […]; after half an hour of toyi-toyi and singing, the cavalcade drove off.”

The campaign members agreed to remain in silence and sent a message to the Concourt event that they honoured and celebrated their constitution and their right to be there, requesting that Judge Albie Sachs address them after the event; 

“Judge Sachs did indeed come out and address our members after the event closed. He told us we had a right to protest under the constitution, and he thanked us as veterans of the struggle. He said while he could not comment on our demands; we had every right to make them, and to demand that our government respond to them … those responsible had to come to address us and resolve the issues. This is after all what our constitution is about; and that our presence in front of ConCourt is a tribute to our victories. As the Galela Campaign we appreciate and honour those comments.”
The Galela Campaign still demands that our government – including our President and our Minister of Justice – must address their demands NOW. View their written mandate for the campaign here.

Outside the steps of Concourt, Johannesburg

39 Years and Counting: Justice Delayed Again for the Family of Nonkuthula Simelane

Sizakele Simelane with a portrait of her daughter Nokuthula, in Bethal, Mpumalanga on Friday 15/03/2013. Nokuthula was abducted by apartheid security police more than 20 years ago, and her mother has been fighting a legal battle since for justice.

On August 23rd 2022, the trial recommencement of abducted, tortured and disappeared uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) operative Nonkuthula Oreala Simelane was underway. A week before International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearance (on 30th August) ironically signalled the continuation of impunity and denial, and left the chapter to the whereabouts of Simelane’s remains, who killed her and why unclosed. This was sealed with the Pretoria High Court’s decisions to postpone the trial of the accused, Willem Coetzee and Anton Pretorius. Postponement was granted due to Mr Coetzee’s questionable mental fitness to stand trial. The Court is scheduled to hear Simelane’s case on December 1st 2022, after the mental evaluations on Mr Coetzee are concluded. 

For more on this story, check out: Sowetan Live 2022/08/23: Trial of apartheid cops accused of killing MK operative postponed again.

Photograph by Kevin Sutherland.

In Support of Works of Art Collection (WOAC), “The Fire This Time” !


Event: The Fire This Time

On the 15th of September 2022, University of Cape Town’s (UCT) WOAC hosted an artistic intervention at the nexus of memorialisation and public space in the form of live art installations engaging the multiplexed historic space that is the Sarah Baartman precinct.

Follow this link for more: ‘Fire This Time’ launch: Live art collection outdoor films’

Laura Windvogel (Lady Skollie), We have come to take you home (a Diana Ferrus tribute), 2018, mixed media on Fabriano paper, 121×115.3cm

‘Crying For Justice’ Live Webinar

On 30 March 2022, Haroon Gunn-Salie, in partnership with the South African Coalition for Transitional Justice (SACTJ), presented a public discussion on the project “Crying for Justice”. 

SACTJ is made up of 13 NGOs and also individual members committed to addressing the unfinished business of the TRC. Speakers in this discussion included Mary Burton, Howard Varney, Yasmin Sooka, Kylie Thomas, Shirley Gunn and Haroon Gunn-Salie.

Transitional Justice Network Event

Institute for Justice and Reconciliation July 2022, Cape Town
Global learning hub for Transitional Justice and Reconciliation April 2023, Berlin

In April 2022, Cape Town hosted transitional justice industry giants for a networking event that tackled issues on the following:

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  • Obstacles to Achieving Justice and Recognition for victims of atrocity crimes

  • Truth versus Justice

  • African Justice Initiatives and Legacies

  • Denial, Memory, Contestation and Access to Archives

  • Local African Justice Initiatives

  • Gender, Conflict Related Sexual Violence, Peace and Security

  • The African Union Transitional Justice Policy: Limits and Opportunities

  • Passing The Baton: Youth and Transitional Justice

Transitional Justice Network, Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR), 2022

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