Strife, division ripple through reparations fight for apartheid victims

The Constitutional Court of South Africa, situated in the heart of Johannesburg at Constitution Hill, is more than just an acclaimed building where 11 judges stand guard over the constitution and protect the human rights of South Africans. It is also a place where tourists come from around the world to visit the open-access court and learn about the victories of justice that have been won behind the courtroom doors. The Constitutional Court has also recently become ground zero for victims of apartheid-era atrocities who have been participating in a three-month-long sit-in outside the court in a bid to force the government to pay out long-awaited reparations. Since November 2023, the senior protestors and members of the Khumulani Support Group have been sleeping outside the Constitutional Court, demanding the reparations promised by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. However, this decades-long fight for reparations is now being marred by organisational infighting, power struggles and accusations of manipulation that threaten the likelihood of the victims receiving the reparations they say they are owed.   Read more in Daily Maverick: Determined survivors of apartheid-era atrocities describe their anguish of being forgotten and ignored Elderly protestors camp outside the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg in a...