Imam Haron Inquest

The Iman Haron inquest will run from 7 to 18 November 2022. Image: Storm Simpson/The South African/Facebook/Iman Haron Foundation.

As it happened: Imam Haron Inquest – Day 7

The last surviving policeman from Maitland Police Station is expected to take the stand again on Day 7 of the reopened inquest.

Imam Haron Inquest

The Iman Haron inquest will run from 7 to 18 November 2022. Image: Storm Simpson/The South African/Facebook/Iman Haron Foundation.

The last surviving police officer from the time Imam Abdullah Haron was held in detention in 1969 is expected to take the stand again after his cross-examination could not be completed in the allotted time on Monday, 14 November.

Other witnesses who are expected to take the stand on the seventh day of the reopened inquest include political detainees – Yousuf Gabru and Robert Wilcox – and a psychoanalyst, Diane Sandler.

IMAM HARON INQUEST LIVE BLOG

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PREVIOUS COVERAGE

Apartheid-era cop says he didn’t know the security branch tortured people

  • Johannes Hendrik Burger, who was a policeman for 34 years, insists he had no idea the apartheid security branch tortured political detainees until September 2020.

Letters on a biscuit box: How messages were smuggled from Imam Haron’s jail cell

  • ‘Dear Shamela, I am writing to you out of jail. I am a political detainee. Don’t worry It’s for a good cause.’

Sustained assault the root cause of ‘Imam’s demise’ – court hears

  • The court heard that Imam Haron’s condition worsened considerably after the apartheid security branch took him from his cell and interrogated him at an unknown location for 62 hours.

Children remember a kind and jovial man

  • ‘He was jovial and liked to play jokes on whomever. There were multiple stories about his kindness and laughter from people,’ said Imam Haron’s daughter.

Pathologist says injuries that led to death likely caused by assault – not a fall

  • The apartheid security police said Imam Haron’s injuries were sustained in a fall. A second expert witness has rubbished the claim.

WATCH: Expert says Imam Haron’s injuries couldn’t have been caused by a fall

  • Security Branch officers maintained that Imam Haron’s injuries were all sustained in a single fall down stone stairs at Caledon Square Police Station.

Steve Biko’s son says Haron Inquest will answer a question that’s been hanging over SA for 52 years

  • ‘I think we’ve come to this point as a country without instilling a culture of accountability and hopefully by dealing with these cases we can instil a culture of accountability,’ said Nkosinathi Biko in court.

Haron family unimpressed with State’s ‘loose’ evidence after day one of inquest

  • ‘I feel that they should’ve done more than what they’ve given us here today in terms of information. There should have been hardcore information,’ said Fatiema Haron-Masoet.

After 53 years, reopened inquest into the apartheid death in detention of Imam Haron starts

  • Anti-apartheid activist Imam Abdullah Haron died at the age of 45 in 1969. He was held in solitary confinement for 123 days.