TRC Final Report

Volume 6

Section 6

Part CEO_Report

Subsection 2

MANAGING THE COMMISSION

7. Managing an unconventional institution born out of controversy and political compromise and tasked to find a common ground upon which to promote national unity and reconciliation in South Africa was never going to be easy. Doing it with dedicated Commissioners and Committee members and a corps of loyal managers and employees whose commitment and dedication were exceptional certainly made it a lot more bearable.

8. As a result of the very solid foundation laid by the previous CEO, the various organisational structures were well established, a sound fiscal policy was in place and the respective departments and sections had clear and well-defined areas of responsibility. This meant that the new CEO was able to focus on completing the outstanding work of the Commission as effectively and as quickly as possible. Management of the Commission was done by the CEO assisted by a corps of seven managers. Previously the Commission was managed by no less than a CEO and eighteen managers.

9. Apart from day-to-day management responsibilities, managing the Commission during this period involved ensuring the smooth operation of the following processes:

a Dealing with continuous public scrutiny and criticism. As an institution of national and international significance, the Commission found itself under constant, and sometimes unrealistic, public pressure to deliver quality outputs within the shortest period of time. To bear its impact, the Commission had to be transparent and accountable to the public throughout its entire existence.

b Attempting to address the needs of those with a constitutional right to be acknowledged for the pain and suffering they had endured during the apartheid era.

c Providing the machinery for those persons who sought to receive amnesty for committing human rights violations.

d Establishing and maintaining an efficient and workable relationship between Commissioners, Committee members and staff members.

e Striving towards establishing and maintaining bilateral co-operation between the Commission and various government departments.

f Constantly assessing and analysing the Commission’s objectives, bearing in mind the available resources and approaching and solving managerial challenges from an integral standpoint. It should be borne in mind that the Commission seldom had the privilege of applying proven and/or tested processes. Many of the Commission’s processes had to be ‘invented’ in accordance with the theoretical and not always practical guidelines as provided by the provisions of the Act.

g Continuously evaluating the various processes of the Commission, attending to factors delaying these processes, and developing, implementing and maintaining mechanisms aimed at expediting the finalisation of these p rocesses.

h Making decisions that were people-centred and blending individual needs and aspirations with those of the Commission and the public at large.

i Motivating staff who, for a period of almost six years, had to deal on a daily basis with the atrocities of the past and who dedicated all their time and energy to giving effect to the objectives and provisions of the Act, with no prospect of any incentive scheme, bonus, gratuity or future employment opportunities following the termination of their contracts.

j P roviding the proverbial ‘shoulder to cry on’ and serving as a ‘punching bag’ for those deprived and frustrated victims of gross human rights violations as a result of government non-delivery of reparation and rehabilitation .

k Seeking a compromise between expectations and reality.

l Striving towards delivering a product of which the nation could be proud, in the shortest possible period of time and operating within budgetary constraints.

m Sharing joy and sharing sorrow.