State must try harder to deliver reparation funds

On Tuesday Premier Phumulo Masualle announced that 5,000 people had not claimed their reparations emanating from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) process. These are survivors of the 23 massacres recorded by the TRC as having taken place in the Eastern Cape during the apartheid years. A total of 22,000 victims were identified as being eligible for reparations and 17,000 of those have already claimed. These details emerged during a meeting between Masualle and the members of the Bhisho Massacre Committee, who had contacted the premier primarily to complain about the failure of the government to fulfil the various promises made to them.

The TRC began its work in 1996 and wrapped up in 2001. Yet, 17 years later, there are still families who have not received their due reparations.

What is more shocking is the further announcement by the department of justice and constitutional development that communities that were meant to have benefited from a R500m presidential fund had not received a cent of that money.

This money was earmarked for community development, with each area affected by a massacre standing to receive R30m towards development. Yet none of those communities had received the funding.

Basically, this is another classic failure of the government to deliver. It is one thing to claim that beneficiaries cannot be traced – as the government is likely to claim in the case of TRC reparations – but how does one explain the fact that known areas like Mdantsane, Komani, Duncan Village, Langa Township in Uitenhage and Lusikisiki have not received the development funds? Surely these areas can be easily found on the map?

Masualle’s initiative to prioritise the complaints of the Bhisho Massacre victims is commendable. However, the disdainful treatment of poor communities by the government is appalling. Had the committee members not complained, perhaps we would not have known this information.

Obviously reparations can never make up for the pain suffered by those affected, but they will go a long way in assisting families who live in poverty. The government must provide us with the list of beneficiaries and we will publish it.

The TRC wrapped up its work in 2001. Yet, in 2018, there are still thousands who have not received reparations