Over its three-year lifespan, it investigated incidents occurring between July 1991 and April 1994, when democratic elections were held.
[2] 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'.
[citation needed] The Commission was established in terms of the Prevention of Public Violence and Intimidation Act of 1991,[3] as a condition of the National Peace Accord of September 1991.
[4] 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.
The Commissioners were: Other individuals served on multi-national panels, acted as observers, or participated in committees under the Commission.