# Goldstone Commission

The Goldstone Commission, formally known as the Commission of Inquiry Regarding the Prevention of Public Violence and Intimidation, was appointed on 24 October 1991 to investigate political violence and intimidation in South Africa. Over its three-year lifespan, it investigated incidents occurring between July 1991 and April 1994, when democratic elections were held. The relevant incidents thus occurred during the negotiations to end apartheid. The Commission's mandate was both to investigate the causes of the violence and to recommend measures to contain or prevent it.
The Commission played a critical role in defusing the political violence that erupted when apartheid in South Africa began eroding in the late 1980s as the country moved toward its first democratic elections, and concluded that political violence was fuelled by a 'third force'.
The Commission was established in terms of the Prevention of Public Violence and Intimidation Act of 1991, as a condition of the National Peace Accord of September 1991. President F. W. de Klerk appointed Justice Richard Goldstone to chair it. It operated from 24 October 1991 to 27 October 1994 and, over that period, submitted 47 reports to the President. The Commission was fairly large: its investigation team, set up in 1992, comprised five units, staffed by 13 police officers, ten attorneys, and five international observers. It had offices in Johannesburg, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, and East London.
Some of the Commission's reports focused on broad thematic concerns, such as taxi violence (to which seven separate reports were dedicated) or the effects of political violence on children. Others investigated specific allegations or events, among them some of the most prominent incidents of political violence of the period, including the Boipatong massacre, the Bisho massacre, the storming of the Kempton Park World Trade Centre, and the Shell House massacre. Several reports investigated the role of the South African Police and South African Defence Force in political violence, and particular public attention was given to the May 1993 report on allegations of a third force, as well as to related reports such the report of the Malcolm Wallis-led subcommittee on the causes of the violence between the African National Congress and Inkatha.

## Commissioners

The Commissioners were:
* Richard Goldstone
* Danie Rossouw
* Solly Sithole
* Lillian Baqwa
* Gert Steyn
Other individuals served on multi-national panels, acted as observers, or participated in committees under the Commission.

## Investigations

List of investigations and reports by the Commission :
| Topic | Date of report |
| General | 24 January 1992 |
| General | 29 April 1992 |
| General | 21 December 1992 |
| General | 6 December 1993 |
| General | 30 May 1994 |
| General | 27 October 1994 |
| Violence at Mooi River on 3–4 December 1991 | 19 February 1992 |
| Violence at Mooi River on 3–4 December 1991 | 19 February 1992 |
| Violence at Mooi River on 3–4 December 1991 | 21 December 1992 |
| Violence at President Steyn Goldmine in Welkom in November 1991 | 28 February 1992 |
| Taxi violence | 27 May 1992 |
| Taxi violence | 2 July 1992 |
| Taxi violence | 4 December 1992 |
| Taxi violence | 23 January 1993 |
| Taxi violence | 26 July 1993 |
| Taxi violence | 26 July 1994 |
| Taxi violence | 24 August 1994 |
| Conduct of the 32 Battalion at Phola Park on 8 April 1992 | 10 June 1992 |
| Train violence | 8 July 1992 |
| Train violence | 6 May 1993 |
| Waddington Committee: Police response to the Boipatong massacre | 20 July 1992 |
| Violence in hostels | 21 September 1992 |
| Bisho massacre | 29 September 1992 |
| Role of the South African Police in violence in the Vaal area | 27 October 1992 |
| Violence in Tokoza | 17 November 1992 |
| Allegations about Renamo soldiers in KwaZulu | 15 December 1992 |
| Regulation of gatherings | 15 January 1993 |
| Regulation of gatherings | 28 April 1993 |
| Activities of the Azanian People's Liberation Army | 15 March 1993 |
| Allegations of a third force | 27 May 1993 |
| South African Defence Force, including 1986 Caprivi training of Inkatha supporters | 1 June 1993 |
| Events after the assassination of Chris Hani | 29 June 1993 |
| Storming of the World Trade Centre | 13 July 1993 |
| Curbing of violence and intimidation during the forthcoming election | 11 August 1993 |
| Illegal importation, distribution, and use of firearms, ammunition and explosives | 5 October 1993 |
| Violence in Mossel Bay in July 1993 | 12 October 1993 |
| Violence in Crossroads in March to June 1993 | 11 November 1993 |
| Shooting in Katlehong on 9 January 1994 | 18 January 1994 |
| Criminal political violence by the South African Police, the Kwazulu Police, and Inkatha | 18 March 1994 |
| Wallis Committee: Inkatha-African National Congress conflict, and special matters | 18 March 1994 |
| Wallis Committee: Inkatha-African National Congress conflict, and special matters | 18 March 1994 |
| Attack on Power Park squatter camp on 27 July 1993 | 11 May 1994 |
| Shell House massacre | 21 April 1994 |
| Attacks on members of the South African Police | 21 April 1994 |
| Attempted purchase of firearms by the KwaZulu government from Eskom | 22 April 1994 |
| Effects of public violence and intimidation on children | 10 August 1994 |
| Effects of public violence and intimidation on children | 27 October 1994 |