Members of Khulumani Support Group outside the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg, 16 November 2022. The members have been camping there for a month demanding reparations for victims of apartheid. Picture: Nigel Sibanda
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi on Tuesday promised to address the issues of the Khulumani Support Group, which consist of more than 100 people who have been sleeping on the premises of the Constitutional Court (ConCourt), demanding for government to compensate them for their suffering under the apartheid regime.
The group that has been picketing outside the ConCourt for the past two months said it is demanding repatriations for human right violations suffered, particularly between 1990 and 1994.
Lesufi also said he would like to work with them in finding a temporary solution to the problems they are currently facing while camping outside the ConCourt and while they engage with the office of the President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola.
“We owe these people an explanation and support in terms of sanitation, food and water and temporary shelter. But the long-term goal is that national leadership of government must come and address some of these issues which are genuine.
“They are just requesting that the deadline of the truth and reconciliation commission must be reopened, and their pleas taken into consideration and accommodated, I will raise your matter with the Minister and President,” he said.
Lesufi committed to share the group’s concerns with Ramaphosa and Lamola.
“In the interim as the Gauteng Provincial Government, we will continue to support this group. This group is a Non- Government Organisation (NGO) and our team is doing the administrative work to ensure that their campaign is consistent, as well as funds which will allow them to wage this important battle, I am also bringing mobile clinic for those who might need medical assistance as we have elderly people here.”
According to GroundUp, a list of victims of gross human rights violations was drawn up in 2003, and according to the Department of Justice, 17 416 people received a once-off payment of R30 000.
However, some said they have not received a single cent and pleaded with Ramaphosa to re-open the process and stick to the R120 000 in reparation that they were individually promised.
READ MORE: Raped, shot and blinded: Victims of apartheid demand reparation
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