Former South African President denies impeding investigation and prosecution of apartheid-era cases

Former South African President Thabo Mbeki stated on Monday in Johannesburg that he never ordered prosecutors to halt cases involving apartheid-era crimes, nor did he enter into secret agreements to protect former security officers from prosecution. The denial addresses allegations concerning the handling of historical human rights violations from the apartheid era.

The remarks from the former president come as part of ongoing public and legal scrutiny regarding accountability for past regime abuses in South Africa, where the legacy of apartheid-era crimes and the processes of justice and reconciliation remain sensitive political issues.