Family lawyers oppose Zuma and Mbeki’s bid to recuse Justice Khampepe

Lawyers representing the families of apartheid-era victims have argued that the recusal of Justice Sisi Khampepe from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) inquiry would not be in the interest of justice.

The commission spent the day hearing arguments regarding the recusal application brought forward by former presidents Jacob Zuma and Thabo Mbeki. Both former heads of state are required to testify before the commission, which is currently investigating allegations of political interference in the investigation of TRC-related cases.

Zuma and Mbeki claim that Justice Khampepe is unsuitable to preside over the current proceedings. Their argument hinges on her previous role as a commissioner in the original TRC during the 1990s, which they suggest creates a conflict of interest.

Advocate Howard Varney, representing the victims' families, dismissed the application, noting that the timing of the request poses a significant threat to the inquiry's progress.

"The late bringing of recusal applications can have quite a massive impact; it can delay proceedings further and it can even derail them," Varney argued. "This would not be in the interest of justice, and it would definitely be a problem for the families and the wider public to have to wait longer, given how long they have had to wait for this commission."

The commission's decision on the matter will determine whether the inquiry proceeds under its current leadership or faces further administrative delays.