The son of the late anti-Apartheid activist and Muslim cleric, Imam Abdullah Haron, says his father’s death came very unexpectedly and it was very difficult to deal with emotionally.
Muhammad Haron was testifying at the High Court in Cape Town during the re-opened inquest into his father’s death.
Haron was arrested in May 1969 and detained in Cape Town.
He was found dead in his cell at the Maitland Police Station after 123 days in police detention.
The first inquest in 1970 found that his death was attributed to injuries sustained during an alleged fall down a staircase at the Cape Town Police Station and a heart condition. Twenty-seven bruises were, however, found on his body.
A very emotional Muhammad Haron told the court that his family never accepted the findings of the first inquest.
“It was preposterous, totally unacceptable. A whole pack of lies about whatever was reported, generally speaking…and so in a sense, we never believed what the magistrate as well as the prosecutors and everyone else who were in one way or another involved in this process of the inquest, that their findings could be acceptable and accepted as it was. We always believed that he was tortured right up until the end and the bruises that we had witnessed were clear indications.”
A lengthy wait
One of Haron’s daughters says her family is extremely proud of the work that her father did and the legacy he left behind.
Shamiela Haron-Shamis also testified in court. She says their family has been waiting a very long time for the truth to come out.
“We’ve been waiting for the truth for more than 53 years. I mean it’s more than half a century. Our mother passed away three years ago. She waited 50 years for the truth. My lord, our emotions are all over the place, but we are strong enough to deal with them.”
Haron’s niece, Zainal Makda, also testified. She described her uncle as a very generous person who always tried to help others.
“He was a very good man, and he was very generous to everybody, and he was always helping everybody. We always use to go with him to Langa and some other places to take food to people in the townships and anybody else could come to him for any help.”
SABC News Reporter Vanessa Poonah unpacks proceedings during day four of the reopened inquest:
