By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has granted the judicial commission of inquiry looking into prosecution of Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) cases extension until July 31, 2026.
Ramaphosa initially gave the commission six months to carry out its work. Six months later, the first witness has yet to take the stand, and the commission was compelled to ask the President for an extension.
The commission is chaired by retired Constitutional Court Judge Sisi Khampepe. She is assisted by retired Northern Cape Judge President Frans Diale Kgomo and Adv. Andrea Gabriel SC.
It was established in May 2025 as part of a settlement agreement in a court case brought by families of people who were victims of crimes committed during apartheid.
Fullview reported that the commission has written to presidency to request an extension amid delays.
According to the proclamation notice 302 of 2025, the TRC Cases Inquiry must conclude its work by Friday, May 29, 2026, and submit its report to the president within 60 days after the date on which it completes its work.
“The commission started its work late, there are outstanding documentary responses, there will be applications for cross-examination, and the commission will be in recess from mid-December 2025 to early January 2026.”
Ramaphosa has then amended the terms of reference. The commission must now finish its work by May 29, 2026, and its report must reach him by July 31, 2026.
The TRC cases spokesperson Lionel Aderndorf told Fullview that the extension was necessitated by the delays in the lease agreement and other administrative challenges.
This extension was necessitated because, despite the initial promulgation on May 29, 2025, the appointment of the inquiry’s Secretariat was not made until August 1, 2025. Then, the inquiry experienced various procurement delays, with the lease agreement, for example, only being signed at the end of September 2025.
“Following the Request for Information and Rule 3.3 notices issued in September 2025 to various government agencies and departments, many requested extensions, and the final date for all information to be submitted was Wednesday, November 26, 2025,” he said.
Aderndorf added that over the next two weeks, the commission will be collecting all outstanding responses and following up with all those who applied for extensions.
He said, only then will the commission begin the work of going through all the information and evidence collected over the last two months in preparation for oral hearings that will start on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, and will run until Thursday, May 21, 2026.
The inquiry commissioners still need to rule on the application, brought by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, the National Prosecuting Authority, for the recusal of the Chief Evidence Leader, Advocate Ishmael Semenya SC.