Howard Barrell
Both President Nelson Mandela and his deputy, Thabo Mbeki, have told Parliament there will be no general amnesty for violations of human rights under apartheid.
But Mbeki raised the likelihood that special additional amnesty provisions could be introduced to cover those involved in violence in KwaZulu-Natal as well as the activities of former generals from the old South African Defence Force (SADF).
The two leaders were speaking this week in a historic joint debate of the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces on the report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was presented to Mandela in October last year.
They were responding to calls for a general amnesty from some quarters fearful that people who should have but did not apply for amnesty under the truth commission process might remain alienated from society and engage in further violence.
Mandela said he wanted to “reiterate that we are not contemplating a general amnesty under any guise”.
He added: “Such an approach would go against the grain of the very process that we all agreed upon; it would undermine the accountability that we seek to engender.”
In his speech to a packed House, Mbeki said: “We should all agree that whatever happens we should never entertain the idea of a general amnesty.”
But he added: “At the same time, serious consideration will have to be given to ensuring that we do not allow ourselves to be drawn into a situation of conflict as a result of the political crimes of the past.
“We will have to discuss such proposals as have been made on this matter with regard to KwaZulu-Natal and others put forward by the former generals of the SADF who have themselves confirmed their loyalty to the country and its Constitution, as well as their commitment to peace and stability in our country and region.
“The quest for national unity and reconciliation is fundamental to our emergence as a nation at peace with itself.”