Inquest set to be heard for 1993 Highgate Hotel massacre

Five people were killed and seven others wounded when a group of unknown men opened fire at the hotel in East London in May 1993, with no arrests made

22 January 2025 - 14:11
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The Highgate Hotel was the target for two deadly attacks in the 1990s. File photo
The Highgate Hotel was the target for two deadly attacks in the 1990s. File photo
Image: Sino Majangaza/Daily Dispatch

The survivors and families of those killed in the 1993 Highgate Hotel massacre are a step closer to getting justice as the long-awaited inquest into the shooting is set to kick off next week.

The incident has remained unresolved for nearly 32 years after unknown armed men entered the hotel in East London on May 1 1993, killing five people and wounding seven others.

Despite testimony from three survivors and the families of two victims during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) hearings in the mid-1990s, no inquest was held by the National Prosecuting Authority and no arrests have been made, the Foundation for Human Rights said.

The inquest will be held from January 27 to February 7 at the East London Special Tribunal, the foundation said.

It would probe the deaths of Boyce Michael Wheeler, Derek John Whitfield, Stanley Hacking, Deon Harris and Douglas Gates.

The survivors were Neville Beling, Karl Weber, Billy Baling, Nkosinathi Alfred Gontshi, Doreen Roussouw, Megan Boucher and Charles Bodington. Gontshi and Rossouw have since died.

“Survivors Beling and Weber, and Lyndene Page, sister of Harris, represented by FHR and [law firm] Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, have been at the forefront for this pursuit. Their story is an example of extraordinary perseverance and a tireless fight for justice,” the FHR said.

There have been allegations that the attack was linked to the military wing of the PAC, the Azanian People’s Liberation Army, but the party has denied being responsible, saying they used a different modus operandi.

Besides no arrests or hearings before the TRC, no amnesty applications were submitted to the TRC for the massacre.

“The identities of the attackers and their motives remain unknown, despite more than three decades of advocacy by survivors and families of the deceased for justice and closure.

“The inquest marks a significant step forward in uncovering the truth behind the massacre,” said the FHR.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, the FHR will host a briefing on its intention to bring a court application against President Cyril Ramaphosa and the government for damages for 25 survivors and families of people who disappeared or were killed during apartheid. 

The application also seeks an order to compel Ramaphosa to form an independent public commission of inquiry into the alleged political interference that led to the suppression of several hundred serious crimes during the struggle for democracy.

TimesLIVE


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