Gqeberha High Court rules inquest into Cradock Four murders must continue

JOHANNESBURG - The High Court in Gqeberha has ruled that the inquest into the murders of the Cradock Four must continue, despite issues of legal representation of one of the suspects.

Monday marks day one of the reopened inquest to establish whether security police or another person can be held liable for the deaths of the anti apartheid activists.

Matthew Goniwe, Fort Calata, Sparrow Mkhonto and Sicelo Mhlauli were killed while in police custody in 1985.

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Justice for the families of the Cradock Four has been delayed for 40 years, and today threatens to be no different.

As proceedings started today, the court was told that the national defence force has not approved payment for the legal fees of former General Joffel van de Westhuizen, meaning his lawyer, although present in court, cannot represent him.

The legal fees in this matter, where former police officers are suspects, are paid for by the government.

Lawyer for Matthew Goniwe’s family, Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, argued that the commission proceed and his witnesses be allowed to give evidence implicating Van de Westhuizen, but after his lawyer opposed, Judge Thami Beshe handed down a ruling.

"The inquest should proceed as planned, and only those witnesses who will be implicating those concerned should be led."

This means the witnesses that will be called cannot implicate Van de Westhuizen until the government agrees to pay his legal fees.

Witnesses are also allowed to testify based on publicly available documents.