The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have thrown their weight behind families suing President Cyril Ramaphosa and the government for R167 million over apartheid-era crimes. This move comes after families of anti-apartheid activists launched a lawsuit against Ramaphosa and the state at a press briefing held by the Foundation for Human Rights at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg.
According to EFF national spokesperson Leigh-Ann Mathys, “This litigation is a necessary step for accountability and justice after decades of broken promises.”
Mathys highlighted how political interference, beginning under Thabo Mbeki’s administration, obstructed efforts to prosecute over 300 apartheid-era cases.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) had made key recommendations, including prosecuting unresolved cases, providing reparations to victims, and holding officials accountable. However, these recommendations were largely ignored, leaving victims’ families without justice, reparations, or closure.
The EFF has condemned the ANC for leniency towards perpetrators of apartheid crimes, citing controversial decisions such as the parole of Eugene de Kock, known as “Prime Evil.” Mathys pointed out that while de Kock lived on a state salary after his release, families of murdered activists remain without answers or closure.
Evidence presented by former NPA deputy director Vusi Pikoli revealed that senior ANC officials, including Jackie Selebi and Billy Masetlha, interfered with apartheid-era prosecutions, stalling justice for victims. The lawsuit also calls for an independent commission to investigate political interference in prosecuting apartheid crimes.
