The Gqeberha High Court has ruled that the Cradock Four inquest will proceed as scheduled, despite the hospitalisation of former apartheid hitman Eugene de Kock....Click to Read More >>➤
The ruling, delivered by President Judge Thami Beshe, came after lawyers representing several former apartheid security police requested that the hearings be postponed indefinitely. Their request followed confirmation that De Kock, the former Vlakplaas commander infamously known as “Prime Evil,” had been admitted to hospital for suspected heart failure.
The ongoing inquest seeks to determine who was responsible for the abduction and murder of four anti-apartheid activists — Matthew Goniwe, Fort Calata, Sparrow Mkhonto, and Sicelo Mhlauli — in 1985. The brutal killings became one of the most notorious crimes of the apartheid era, symbolising the state’s violent suppression of resistance.
This latest inquest marks the third attempt to uncover the full truth behind their deaths after two previous efforts failed to bring closure.
De Kock, who was expected to testify in the coming days, was anticipated to repeat much of what he previously revealed before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). However, his sudden illness raised concerns among the defence teams of other implicated officers, who argued that proceeding without his testimony could prejudice their clients.
Judge Beshe, however, ruled that justice would best be served by allowing the proceedings to continue in De Kock’s absence.
“It is my considered view that it will be in the interest of justice for this court to continue hearing the evidence of witnesses other than Mr De Kock or in the absence or unavailability of Mr De Kock,” Beshe stated.
The judge further clarified that those implicated in the case would have an opportunity to respond to De Kock’s eventual testimony if and when he is declared medically fit to appear.
While De Kock’s lawyers have maintained that his expected testimony would not differ from what was already shared at the TRC, legal representatives of the other accused insist they should hear his statements before presenting their own defences.
It remains unclear when De Kock will be discharged and permitted to resume participation in the proceedings. The court has not yet received an official medical update on his condition.
The Cradock Four case remains a significant chapter in South Africa’s ongoing effort to address the injustices of apartheid. For many families and activists, the inquest represents a final opportunity to uncover the truth and hold those responsible accountable — even four decades after the killings. ...Click to Read More >>➤
