Date: 23/12/2003
Source: Department of Justice and Constitutional Development
Title: Pikoli: Payment of individual reparation grants


PRESS STATEMENT BY ADV VUSI PIKOLI, THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, ON THE PAYMENT OF INDIVIDUAL GRANTS OF R30,000 TO VICTIMS OF GROSS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AS DECLARED BY THE TRC

The process of the payments of individual reparations has commenced. Regulations guiding the payments of the once-off individual grants as part of the Final Reparations were, in terms of Section 27(2) of the Promotion of National Unity and Reconciliation Act, gazetted on 12 November 2003.

The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has processed 9691 payments to date of which 3847 were returned by the banks because the bank account numbers that were supplied were invalid. The Deaprtment is now in the process of contacting those affected so that those can be effected.

Beneficiaries of deceased victims totalling 5683 will be paid after all the interested parties have been given the opportunity to make representations about a person who should receive the grant. Any person who is aggrieved by a decision of the fund administrator regarding the person to whom the reparations grant is to be paid, may make the representation in writing. The representation may be made at any time but not later that 30 calendar days after the notice that has been or will be displayed at notice boards of all the magistrate's offices.

The payment of individual reparation grants is an ongoing process and persons who have been declared victims by the TRC and have applied will be paid their reparations. This process will continue until notice is given in the government gazette that the President's Fund, from which reparations are paid, will cease to exist.

Enquiries: Kaizer Kganyago, 082 466 3053, 012 315 1807
Issued by GCIS on behalf of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, 23 December 2003