Justice Minister Ronald Lamola has announced that the inquests into the deaths of Chief Albert Luthuli, Mlungisi Griffiths Mxenge and Booi Mantyi will be re-opened, suspecting foul play in their deaths.
“With these inquests, we open very real wounds which are more difficult to open 30 years into our democracy, but nonetheless, the interest of justice can never be bound by time; the truth must prevail,” he said.
The ministry announced in a statement on Monday that Lamola has accepted and acted on recommendations from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to investigate the incidents.
Media Statement
— Chrispin Phiri 🇿🇦🇵🇸 (@Chrispin_JPhiri) May 13, 2024
Date: 13 May 2024
Re-Opening of Inquests into the deaths of Chief Albert Luthuli, Mlungisi Griffiths Mxenge and Mr Booi Mantyi
The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Mr @RonaldLamola, has accepted and acted on recommendations from the National… pic.twitter.com/9UqZNyiQQN
Luthuli, a renowned anti-apartheid activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, passed away on July 21, 1967.
At that time, the official reports stated that he was hit by a train near Gledthrow station in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
“His untimely death led to various speculations and inquiries, but the exact circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear to this day,” the ministry said.
Luthuli was the president-general of the African National Congress (ANC).
In September 1967, the apartheid regime held an inquest at the Stranger Magistrate’s Court, in the district of lower Tugela which found that the cause of the death was due to fractured skull and cerebral.
At that time the court “evidence did not disclose any criminal culpability on the part of South African Railways and anyone else”.
But according to the representations made to the National Director of Public Prosecutions, the inquest did not consider certain mathematical and scientific principles.
“This mathematical and scientific report reveals that it is highly unlikely that Chief Luthuli was struck by a train and died because of that,” the statement read.
Considering all the information and the investigation done by the Truth and Reconciliation, Lamola accepted and agreed that it was necessary and in the interest of justice to approach the High Court in KwaZulu-Natal to re-open Luthuli’s death.
In the statement, Lamola mentioned that the deaths of Mxenge and Mantyi would also be investigated.
Mxenge, an anti-apartheid activist and African National Congress (ANC) member, was found dead bearing 45 lacerations on a sports field in Umlazi, KZN on November 20, 1981.
“In the wake of his death, an inquest in 1983, conducted under the apartheid regime, failed to identify the perpetrators, despite clear signs of foul play, including evidence of surveillance on Mxenge's office and the poisoning of his dogs,” it said.
It added that a thorough investigation was not done into the passing of Mxenge.
According to the ministry, the Harms Commission and Truth and Reconciliation Commission revealed that orders to kill Mxenge came from Vlakplaas head Dirk Coetzee.
Dirk Coetzee and his accomplices were granted amnesty for the murder of Mxenge.
Lamola accepted and said it was also necessary to approach the high court to re-open the inquest.
Mantyi, was killed in an alleged altercation with members of the South African Police force on June 16, 1985 in the Northern Cape.
A new formal inquest that was conducted ruled that no one was responsible for the death.
Lamola said that new investigation has revealed that an eyewitness who has not previously testified has been identified.
He will also be approaching the high court in the Northern Cape to re-open the case.
Meanwhile, over the weekend, during a campaign trail, former president Thabo Mbeki mentioned that the government was looking into reopening the inquest into the deaths.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
IOL Politics