Cape Town - Steve Biko’s son Nkosinathi Biko says late struggle veteran Peter Jones had scuppered the chances of apartheid police officers to try and get amnesty through the back door at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in the late 1990s.
Nkosinathi, who was speaking at the funeral of Jones in Cape Town on Friday, said the apartheid police officers responsible for his father’s murder in 1977 had applied for amnesty at the TRC but did not include Jones’ torture in their application.
But this was picked up by Jones and his now late senior counsel, advocate George Bizos, who questioned the exclusion of the torture of Jones when he was arrested with Biko.
Video: Tracey Adams/African News Agency (ANA)
It was at that point that Jones was called in to give evidence, as it was relevant to the circumstances of that fateful day when Biko was arrested, tortured and killed.
“The best gift Peter gave us was the TRC, we went to oppose the amnesty. Those who applied for amnesty omitted Peter Jones because they did not want to include his compelling voice.
“George Bizos said his voice is relevant. In the end we were able to get the refusal of the granting of amnesty,” said Nkosinathi.
He said he had known Peter since he was a young boy when he would meet with his father, during the height of the Black Consciousness Movement.
Even after Steve Biko’s death, the two families kept visiting each other, said Nkosinathi.
He added that Jones had earned his stripes in the liberation struggle.
He said he remembers Jones as the man who built the BCM.
Azapo President Nelvis Qekema told mourners he had known Jones for many years.
He said many countries were destroyed by natural disasters and conflicts, but South Africa was destroyed by its own leaders.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
Current Affairs