Mbeki denies claims his government planned to shield apartheid-era perpetrators - EWN

Former President Thabo Mbeki has denied that his government devised a mechanism to shield apartheid-era perpetrators from prosecution.

Testifying before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Cases Inquiry, Mbeki is responding to allegations made former National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) director Anton Ackermann.

Ackermann previously told the inquiry that a lawyer who represented apartheid generals Jan Wagener told him of high-level discussions involving the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), South African Police Service (SAPS), African National Congress (ANC) leaders and former presidents Mbeki and FW de Klerk.

He said that this is where a plan was orchestrated to effectively shield apartheid-era perpetrators from prosecution.

The TRC report and cases to be pursued were handed to Mbeki's administration but very little was done.