Magaqa autopsy complete‚ but the results won't be made public

06 September 2017 - 16:11 By Nathi Olifant
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Sindiso Magaqa. File photo.
Sindiso Magaqa. File photo.
Image: DANIEL BORN

Despite allegations of poisoning surrounding the death of former ANC Youth League secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa‚ the Hawks said on Wednesday that the results of an autopsy will not be made public.

Hawks spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said it was up to the family to decide if they wanted to make the results public.

“I can confirm that the post-mortem was conducted today [Wednesday]. Generally we do not know when the results will come back. However‚ when they do‚ we will only relay that to the family and it is up to them to decide what to do with the information‚” said Mulaudzi.

He would not respond when pushed for an approximate timeframe.

Magaqa and two fellow councillors from the Umzimkhulu Municipality were shot at least a dozen times as they got out of a vehicle near Magaqa's home in Ibisi‚ a village in the southern KwaZulu-Natal town. The two councillors‚ Jabu Msiya and Nontsikelelo Mafa‚ survived the shooting‚ but Magaqa died in hospital on Monday.

While police say it was linked to the shooting‚ they also confirmed that they were investigating claims that the former ANCYL secretary-general had been poisoned - an allegation made because Magaqa had seemingly been recovering well.

He said that because of the nature of the death - either linked to the shooting or due to poisoning - the Hawks and SAPS would have an interest in the autopsy findings.

“We have an active docket with all other relevant details‚ and when the [autopsy] results come back they will also be put in the docket‚” said Mulaudzi.


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