His killers were revealed nine years after his death through a confession drafted by Butana Almond Nofemela. In 1997 Nofemela, with David Tshikalange and Dirk Coetzee, were found guilty of the murder of Mxenge. However, they were granted amnesty by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) before they could be sentenced by the high court in Durban. This resulted in the discontinuation of the trial.
The director of public prosecutions in KwaZulu-Natal advocate Elaine Harrison confirmed the minister of justice and constitutional development reopened the inquests after recommendations from the national director of public prosecutions.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said: “After the collaboration between the NPA KwaZulu-Natal TRC unit and the NPA TRC unit at the national office, the [Hawks] and the National Archives, the NPA will present evidence before the court in an attempt to have the initial findings into the deaths of Luthuli and Mxenge overturned.
“The purpose of inquests is to determine how a person died and if anyone should be held responsible for their death. The prosecutors in KZN have provided regular updates to the Luthuli and Mxenge families on developments in these matters. We have employed this approach to all TRC matters.”
Evidence will be led in two courts by advocates from the NPA TRC unit in KwaZulu-Natal.
TimesLIVE
WATCH | Inquest hearings into deaths of Chief Albert Luthuli and Griffiths Mxenge
Courtesy of SABC
The Pietermaritzburg high court will begin inquests into the deaths of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Chief Albert Luthuli and anti-apartheid lawyer Griffiths Mxenge on Monday.
Luthuli, who became a member of the ANC in 1944 and later became the president-general of the organisation, died on July 21 1967. It was widely reported he died soon after being struck by a goods train.
An inquest held in September 1967 found there was no evidence which disclosed any criminal culpability on the part of any of the employees of the South African Railways or anyone else.
Courtesy of SABC
Mxenge, who represented members of the ANC, was a member of the Release Mandela Committee and Lawyers for Human Rights. He was assassinated in Umlazi, south of Durban, in November 1981. He had been stabbed 45 times and his throat was slit.
Image: Supplied
His killers were revealed nine years after his death through a confession drafted by Butana Almond Nofemela. In 1997 Nofemela, with David Tshikalange and Dirk Coetzee, were found guilty of the murder of Mxenge. However, they were granted amnesty by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) before they could be sentenced by the high court in Durban. This resulted in the discontinuation of the trial.
The director of public prosecutions in KwaZulu-Natal advocate Elaine Harrison confirmed the minister of justice and constitutional development reopened the inquests after recommendations from the national director of public prosecutions.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said: “After the collaboration between the NPA KwaZulu-Natal TRC unit and the NPA TRC unit at the national office, the [Hawks] and the National Archives, the NPA will present evidence before the court in an attempt to have the initial findings into the deaths of Luthuli and Mxenge overturned.
“The purpose of inquests is to determine how a person died and if anyone should be held responsible for their death. The prosecutors in KZN have provided regular updates to the Luthuli and Mxenge families on developments in these matters. We have employed this approach to all TRC matters.”
Evidence will be led in two courts by advocates from the NPA TRC unit in KwaZulu-Natal.
TimesLIVE
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