WATCH |’You’re asking the wrong person’ — Jeff Radebe on TRC cases

Former justice minister Jeff Radebe says the government’s attitude towards apartheid-era perpetrators who did not submit themselves to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was that they were supposed to be prosecuted, but some remain free.

Radebe made the remarks during a heated cross-examination at the Khampepe commission of inquiry when advocate Howard Varney questioned whether apartheid-era perpetrators were adequately prosecuted after the TRC.

Varney represents the Calata group, who lost family members during apartheid.

According to Varney, cabinet decisions and proposed policy changes reflected a government attempt to control the remaining TRC cases.

Radebe said he could not recall specific details and was not the responsible justice minister at the time.

“I wasn’t really focused on the justice clusters. I was one of the co-ordinating ministers of the economic cluster, so I can’t recall the specifics of what it was about,” he said.

Former minister of justice Jeff Radebe has arrived at the Truth and Reconciliation commission inquiry where he will be cross-examined. He first appeared at the hearing in July. Video: @Koena_xM pic.twitter.com/zC76uOpiri

He acknowledged being aware of an amnesty task team , but said he could not provide details of the dynamics that influenced the cluster.

“Not that I don’t have knowledge, but I cannot indicate specificity of what the dynamics were that influenced the cluster to come up with this initiative,” he said.

Appointed in February 2004, the amnesty task team evaluated whether the National Prosecuting Authority should prosecute past conflict cases, introduce further amnesty, or make legislative changes.

Varney put it to Radebe that the process amounted to an attempt to give perpetrators additional opportunities to avoid prosecution after the TRC’s amnesty process.

Radebe rejected the suggestion that he was the appropriate person to answer for the decisions.

“I think we are asking the wrong person. I was not a minister of justice,” he said.

“I was not an MP at the time. The question might as well be posed: the whole Truth and Reconciliation Commission , how was it conceptualised?”