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Rodrigues back in court on charges for Timol’s murder

Matthews Mabelane
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Former security policeman, Joao Rodrigues, is back in court on Monday on charges relating to the 1971 murder of anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Timol.

He is expected to apply for a stay of prosecution based on his age, and that the murder happened too long ago for justice to take its course.

A new inquest into the death found that Timol had not committed suicide in 1971.

The family of another activist, Matthews Mabelane, who also died at John Vorster Square in 1977, are following the case closely.They lost matriculant, Mathhews on February 15, 1977.

Just like Timol, an inquest claimed Mabelane took his own life by jumping from the 10th floor.

“He loved the life…”

“We just don’t believe that Matthews killed himself…”

Elder brother Lasch Mabelane retrieved a letter from the blood-drenched pocket of his sibling.

“Matthews wrote, and I quote, “brother Lasch, please know that the ‘boers’ were going to kill me and were going to throw me until I meet my death.”

John Vorster Square is the notorious torture chamber of the apartheid security police. Dozens of anti-apartheid activists were brutally murdered there – like Timol and Mabelane.

Watch the family of Matthews Mabelane speak in the video report below:

Lasch Mabelane says: “They pushed him. There were a lot of dislocations. There was blood everywhere, they had to interfere with the scene. The scene was conducted by themselves.”

Steve Mabelane, another brother says: “It hurts so much that as a family we really want a closure to the death of our brother.”

An inquest ruled his death was an Accident.

“It’s a lie, a complete fabrication.”

They are not the only family that’s aggrieved.

Bongani Hokwana from Khulumani Support Group says: “Here are the files, they are Khulumani victims’ complaints of apartheid crimes, ranging from killings, disappearance and the torture.”

Some of the cases are being investigated – like that of Matthews Mabelane. His family hopes that the Timol success will finally pave their way to justice.

Watch below for a related video where Imtiaz Cajee, the nephew of Ahmed Timol, who talks about Timol’s murder case:

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