PRESS RELEASE
To: All Media
ATT: News Editors, Human Rights Reporters
For Immediate Release
09 October 2025
Cradock Four Inquest Scheduled for 13–24 October in Gqeberha High Court
Statement by the Cradock Four families and the Foundation for Human Rights
The inquest into the killings of the Cradock Four, Fort Calata, Matthew Goniwe, Sicelo Mhlauli, and Sparrow Mkonto, will resume with its second sitting from 13 to 24 October 2025 at the Gqeberha High Court. Aside from the first two days, this session will focus primarily on the persons of interest.
The inquest is expecting to hear the evidence of Mbulelo Goniwe (nephew of the late Matthew Goniwe) and Bantu Holomisa (former Chairman of the Transkei Military Council and of Council of Ministers). Thereafter, the inquest is scheduled to hear from Eugene de Kock (former Vlakplaas commander), Gerrit Erasmus (former Security Branch officer), Samuel de Beer (former Deputy Minister of Education), Barend du Plessis (former Minister of Black Education), Craig Williamson (former Security Branch officer), Izak ‘Krappies’ Engelbrecht (former Security Branch officer) and Christoffel “Joffel” van der Westhuizen (former SADF officer and Officer Commanding Eastern Province Command).
This is the third inquest to examine the circumstances of their deaths and comes after decades of obstruction, political interference, and institutional failure. Despite findings by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Zietsman Inquest pointing to State responsibility, no one has been held criminally accountable.
For the families who have endured decades of official indifference and delays, the upcoming testimonies offer a long-awaited opportunity to hear directly from individuals occupying key positions at the time of the abduction and murder of the four anti-apartheid activists on 27 June 1985.
The Foundation for Human Rights (FHR) stands in solidarity with the Calata, Mkonto, Mhlauli, and Goniwe families, represented by Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, throughout this reopened inquest.
Media queries:
On behalf of the families:
Lukhanyo Calata: 082 394 6481
Lonwabo Mkonto: 078 335 9144
Ntsika Mhlauli: 082 572 6462
Anyone wishing to get in touch with the Goniwe family representative is kindly asked to contact the Foundation for Human Rights.
Foundation for Human Rights: Sesetu Holomisa sholomisa@fhr.org.za / 071 391 0043
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr: Tebello Mosoeu Tebello.Mosoeu@cdhlegal.com / 073 368 8200
Background:
On 27 June 1985, the four anti-apartheid activists were abducted, tortured, murdered, and their bodies burned by members of the Security Branch of the South African Police. Their posthumous designation as the “Cradock Four” has come to symbolise the brutality of apartheid-era repression and the ongoing quest for justice.
In July 2021, Lukhanyo Calata together with the Mhlauli and Mkonto families filed an application to compel the NPA and DPCI to conclude the investigation and make a prosecutorial decision but the litigation was put on hold to allow the NPA and the police to finalise the investigation. In March 2023, the FHR’s and families’ legal team also submitted a detailed analysis of the available evidence, recommending prosecutions of some of the surviving suspects. The last surviving individual against whom there was prima facie case, H B du Plessis, passed away in mid-June 2023.
In early 2024, the Minister of Justice announced the reopening of the third inquest into the deaths of the Cradock 4 activists. The inquest was scheduled from 2-27 September 2024. However, on 2 September 2024, the inquest was postponed to June 2, 2025. The postponement occurred notwithstanding strenuous efforts by the families to ensure a timely start. Legal representatives of the former South Africa Police (SAP) and South African Defence Force’s (SADF) witnesses failed to secure State funding for their legal costs. The third inquest resumed in the Gqeberha High Court between 2 to 11 June 2025. This phase included only the testimonies of the victims’ families and their witnesses.
