Molecular genetic identification of skeletal remains of apartheid activists in South Africa
Date
2008Author
Davison, Sean
Benjeddou, Mongi
D'Amato, Maria Eugenia
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission made significant progress in examining abuses committed
during the apartheid era in South Africa. Despite information revealed by the commission, a large
number of individuals remained missing when the commission closed its proceedings. This provided
the impetus for the establishment of a Missing Persons Task Team within the South African National
Prosecuting Authority. The team has used evidence generated by The Truth and Reconciliation
Commission as well as their own investigations to identify likely burial sites for activists and has
conducted exhumations. The University of the Western Cape (UWC) was privileged to have been able to
assist by initiating a DNA testing program to augment the non-DNA evidence gathered by the Missing
Person's Task Team. In this review we consider some of the technological developments associated
with the testing of skeletal remains and provide an overview of some of the cases analyzed to date.