Apartheid on Trial

Apartheid on Trial:
South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission

In 1994, the South African state dismantled its repressive and undemocratic system of white minority rule known as apartheid, literally meaning "apartness." The people of South Africa now faced the monumental challenge of rebuilding a nation torn apart by racial hatred and violence. Under President Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress (ANC), political leaders passed the Promotion of National Unity and Reconciliation Act of 1995. A key component to the legislation became the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). According to former Minister of Justice, Dullah Omar, the TRC is "a necessary exercise to enable South Africans to come to terms with their past on a morally accepted basis and to advance the cause of reconciliation."

The TRC’s goal in South Africa was to promote justice and peace. One of its key responsibilities was to decide whether or not to give amnesty to individuals who committed crimes during the reign of apartheid. In order to be awarded amnesty, applicants must demonstrate to the committee that they have made a full disclosure of the offense and that it was politically motivated.

This assignment juxtaposes two trials in which applicants appealed for amnesty for the crime of murder. The first trial deals with the murder of anti-apartheid leader Steve Biko who died in 1977 while under police custody. The second trial deals with Amy Biehl, an American student on scholarship in South Africa, who was murdered in 1993 by a group of black teenagers. The TRC reviewed both cases in 1997.

To complete this internet assignment, follow the steps below.

CHECK OUT THE SOURCES:

Begin reviewing the sources by reading a summary of the events surrounding their murders: the deaths of Steve Biko and Amy Biehl.

Now that you know the facts, watch the trials unfold by reading coverage from the SAPA (South African Press Association): Steve Biko trial and Amy Biehl trial.

What's the verdict? Read the amnesty decisions announced by the TRC.

Feel free to review other cases in the extensive Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report. For more information about Amy Biehl, visit The Amy Biehl Foundation. For more information about Steve Biko, visit this page on modern South African history.

WRITE A BRIEF RESPONSE:

Which evidence was critical to their decisions? What reason(s) did they give for their verdicts?
Do you agree with their reasoning in each case? Would you have come to the same conclusions based on the available evidence? Why or why not?
Comment on the overall effectiveness of the TRC. Were the greater goals of "truth" and "reconciliation" achieved in each case? What were the attitudes of the victims' families toward the trial and verdict?