Former justice minister Michael Masutha told the Khampepe Commission that he met more than 250 relatives of apartheid-era victims after discovering they had not been consulted on Eugene de Kock's 2014 parole application.
Testifying on 26 May 2026, Masutha said he received de Kock's full file shortly after taking office and noticed a claim of family consultation that lacked supporting documents.
He convened a meeting with the relatives, who confirmed they had not been consulted, leading him to defer the parole decision.
Masutha later granted parole on the condition that de Kock assist in locating remains of victims.
He also described authorising the reopening of inquests into the deaths of Ahmed Timol, Neil Aggett and Hoosen Mia Haffejee, and stated that no policy to suppress TRC cases existed during his tenure.
