enca - 3 days ago

Cradock 4 Inquest: Denials and selective amnesia Ntandoyenkosi… Sat, 10/25/2025 - 14:49 GQEBERHA - Denials and selective amnesia continue at the Inquest into the deaths of the Cradock 4.It s been 40 years since the 4 Eastern Cape activists were killed. Those being questioned at the Eastern Cape High Court still deny any involvement in the Apartheid era killings. For the families, this is just prolonging and worsening the pain they have been suffering since 1985.The Security Branch, the most feared weapon of a ruthless racist regime. They were given carte blanche to eliminate so-called enemies of the state. Even the South African Defence Force were afraid of the unit.They are believed to have been behind the kidnapping, assault, and deaths of the Cradock Four. It’s believed Fort Calata, Matthew Goniwe, Sicelo Mhlauli, and Sparrow Mkhonto were under the police’s radar for months before their deaths. The Apartheid State saw Goniwe as public enemy number one after he led an uprising in Cradock. The schoolteacher had grown frustrated with bantu education and fought to end it.And in June 1985, they struck, brutally killing the four men. In 1987, an inquest was launched, but no one was held responsible for the murders. Six years later, a second inquest took place. At the time, then President FW de Klerk faced pressure from the international community to end Apartheid. After 18 months, Judge Neville Zietsman found security forces were involved, but yet, no one was arrested, let alone prosecuted.Now, 40 years later, a new inquest into the deaths of the Cradock 4 is under way. And, those behind state-sponsored terrorism are still refusing to answer for the atrocities.It has been a long road for the families of the Cradock Four, who are now mulling a civil lawsuit.They say any form of punishment for those behind the deaths of their loved ones would be a just reward.eNCA s Ronald Masinda reports.

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