On 15 April 1996, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), under Chairman Archbishop Desmond Tutu, began its first formal hearings in East London City Hall. The South African TRC was set up by the Government of National Unity (the democratic government since 1994) to help deal with violations of human rights during the apartheid era. The Commission heard testimonies from all members of South African society about political crimes, violence and human rights abuses that had not been disclosed.
The Commission was charged with the responsibility to prosecute alleged perpetrators or grant amnesty. The TRC consisted of different committees, namely the Human Rights Violations (HRV), Reparation and Rehabilitation (R&R) and Amnesty Committees (AC).
