Restorative Justice, Ubuntu, and Reconciliation: Comparing South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and Tigrayan Justice Demands in the Post-Pretoria Era

Abstract This article examines Ubuntu as an African ethical framework for rethinking justice in post-conflict settings. Drawing on South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) as a model of restorative justice and the ongoing justice debates in Tigray, Ethiopia, following the 2022 Pretoria Agreement, it advocates for a hybrid approach that integrates moral repair, community-led reconciliation, and formal legal accountability. This synthesis aims not only to address wrongdoing but also to rebuild social trust, repair relationships, and foster sustainable peace grounded in shared humanity. The analysis highlights both the potential and limitations of Ubuntu-inspired processes in fractured societies.