South Africa
This country page describes, in brief, data that TJET has compiled on regime transitions, intrastate conflict episodes, and transitional justice mechanisms. For details on the data included on this page, view the FAQ.
For South Africa, TJET has collected information on: eight amnesties between 1977 and 2002; 67 domestic trials starting between 1978 and 2019; one reparations policy created in 1998; and three truth commissions mandated between 1990 and 1995.
Select any transitional justice mechanism in the table below to view a timeline in the figure.
Country Background
Democratic Transition
Based on well-known democracy data, TJET records one democratic transition starting in 1992.
Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions.
Violent Conflict
Based on the Uppsala Conflict Data Program, TJET records three violent intrastate conflict episodes between 1970 and 1988, involving two distinct armed opposition groups fighting against the government.
Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions. Source: UCDP Dyadic Dataset version 23.1, https://ucdp.uu.se/downloads/index.html#dyadic.
Transitional Justice Data
As of 2020, South Africa ranks 37th out of 174 on TJET’s legacy of violence index. For a full list of country rankings over time, view the index page, and for an explanation of the index, view the Methods & FAQs page.
Amnesties
South Africa had eight amnesties between 1977 and 2002. Three occurred in the context of democratic transition. Six were passed after internal armed conflict. Two were part of a peace agreement. Four amnesties released political prisoners. Five amnesties forgave human rights violations.
Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions.
Domestic Trials
TJET has compiled data on 67 domestic prosecutions between 1978 and 2019. These include ten transitional human rights prosecutions of state agents, in which 23 persons were convicted; 47 regular human rights prosecutions of state agents, in which 40 persons were convicted; twelve intrastate conflict prosecutions of state agents, in which 23 persons were convicted; one intrastate conflict prosecution of opposition members, in which one person was convicted; and five opposition prosecutions of state agents or opposition members, in which five persons were convicted. In three trials that involved high-ranking state agents, three persons were convicted.
Click on accused records for data on convictions. Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions.
Reparations Policies
South Africa implemented one reparations policy, starting in 2003. According to available information, there was a total of 22000 individual beneficiaries. One reparations policy provided collective benefits.
Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions.
Truth Commissions
South Africa mandated three truth commissions in 1990, 1991, and 1995. The commissions completed their operations in 1990, 1994, and 1998. The commissions issued final reports, which are publicly available. The reports included recommendations for prosecutions, reparations, and institutional reforms.
Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions.
UN Investigations
South Africa was subject to one UN investigation between 1985 and 1988.
Data up to 2020. Hover over column labels for definitions.