Reparation payoff starts Monday

2003-11-14 22:58

Pretoria - The South African government will start paying final reparations from Monday to thousands of apartheid victims designated by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

The justice department said on Friday: "The payment process will start on November 17 and extend for a period of about two months as details are processed."

President Thabo Mbeki announced the payment of R30 000 in April, when he ruled out a one-off wealth tax on South African companies as recommended in a TRC final report.

He noted at the time about 22 000 individuals or surviving families had appeared before the commission, and that close to 19 000 had received interim reparations.

Mbeki said: "With regard to final reparations, the government will provide a one-off grant of R30 000 to those individuals of survivors designated by the TRC."

TRC report handed over in April

The justice department on Friday urged all TRC victims who had not yet received anything to contact the government.

It said: "Final reparations payment is part of a broader national process and the government urges all South Africans to contribute to lasting reconciliation by engaging in conversation on how to take forward the TRC process."

The TRC was set up to probe apartheid-era crimes and grant amnesties to those who demonstrated clear repentance. It handed its final report to Mbeki in April.

During its tenure, which started in April 1996, it heard testimony from victims and perpetrators alike, and granted amnesty to about 1 200 while turning down about 5 500 other applications.

- AFP