The Pietermaritzburg High Court in KwaZulu-Natal is expected to call in experts to the witness box to testify in the new inquest on the passing of former ANC leader Chief Albert Luthuli.
However, the state has not gone into detail about the kind of experts and what information is expected from them.
This is after the latest witness in the case, Stanger Hospital’s former clerk, who received Luthuli at the hospital. Mohamed Manjoo wrapped up his testimony on Wednesday.
He said he hopes that through the reopening of the inquest, the truth about Luthuli’s death will be known and that the family will find closure.
Initial inquest ruled accident
Previously, the apartheid government had pushed the narrative that Luthuli died due to head injuries after he was struck by a train. However, his family went to the National Prosecuting Authority to express dissatisfaction about this. They pushed for the reopening of the inquest, which was later granted.
Luthuli’s grandson, who was named after him, Mthunzi Albert Luthuli, said the family wanted the new inquest to expose the lies and correct the history of the country.
“The history records of this country say that Chief Luthuli was either killed by a train or he died under mysterious circumstances,” he said.
Mthunzi was only two months old when his grandfather died. He said at the time, fathers and grandfathers were working to look after their families. However, their family had no such privilege. They were suffering as the chief worked for the ANC without getting compensated. Chief Luthuli was the first African to ever receive a Nobel Peace Prize.
He stated that the initial ruling on the death of his grandfather was an injustice.
“And for such an injustice not to be attended to properly constitutes an injustice,” he said.
Truth and reparations
“Pursuing the truth will be done for the benefit of the family, also for the benefit of South Africa. The second point is that we believe that justice needs to come in the form of reparations,” said Luthuli.
He rubbished claims that his grandfather was partially deaf and could not hear the train.
ANC veteran Jeff Radebe is among the witnesses who said there was more to Luthuli’s death than what was sold to them by the apartheid regime.
In 1967, the initial inquest concluded that he was hit by a train while he was crossing a railroad track. He fractured his head and died, the initial inquest claimed.
The state revealed that several experts will be in the witness box from Monday, May 5, 2025 until May 8.
