Claremont Main Road Mosque honours Imam Haron's legacy, calls for conclusion of other TRC cases
Imam Rashied Omar delivered a sermon at the Claremont mosque on Friday related to the judgment and prosecution delays in other Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)-related cases.
Imam Abdullah Haron died in police custody in 1969. More than five decades later, the Western Cape High Court has set aside a 1970 inquest, to find the true cause of his death. Picture: Supplied/Imam Haron Foundation
CAPE TOWN - Claremont Main Road Mosque on Friday honoured the legacy of Imam Abdullah Haron on the 55th anniversary of his tragic death.
Last year, the high court ruled that Haron died in 1969 while in detention after most likely being tortured by the apartheid police.
Imam Rashied Omar delivered a sermon at the Claremont mosque on Friday related to the judgment and prosecution delays in other Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)-related cases.
"The judgment finally corrected the historical record after 54 long years and future generations will learn that Imam Abdullah Haron died in an apartheid prison after being tortured to death."
Omar urged those who had gathered to assist in ensuring other TRC-related cases go to trial, saying that Islam placed a profound emphasis on justice.
"To prevent further injustices, we must advocate for the establishment and the strengthening of mechanisms that ensure accountability, and that includes supporting legal and government reforms that promote transparency and fairness in dealing with past harms."
Omar called on South Africa's justice system to expedite the remaining cases related to crimes commited during apartheid.