By: Aneeqa du Plessis

With week two of the inquest into the death of Imam Abdullah Haron set to begin at the Cape High Court today, daughter of the late Imam, Fatima Haron Masoet says the family expects full closure when proceedings wrap up later this week. This comes as several professionals have reiterated that the injuries sustained by the imam do not correlate with that of a deadly fall as claimed by the apartheid police in the late 1960s. She further continues to encourage the local community to sit in during proceedings to fully grasp the anguish that was experienced during the imam’s days of detention.

“I’m still trying to fathom how we were led to believe that my father fell and slipped down a flight of stairs and that could’ve been the reason that he died but we never truly accepted that reason and now finally the evidence shows that the initial reason what indeed a cover up,” explained Haron-Masoet on VOC’s Breakfast show on Monday morning.

The family is hopeful that presiding judge, Daniel Thulare will overturn the initial ‘narrative’ of the 1970 inquest that was done on the death of Imam Haron.

“The injuries on my father’s body do not correspond to the allegations of a slip and the autopsy clearly shows that for the entire 123 days of detention he was severely tortured,

He never divulged any information, and he protected his allies until his last breath,” added Haron-Masoet.

On what to expect this week,

“There’ll be even more shocking evidence that will come to light in the coming days,” said Masoet-Haron.

Johannes Hendrick Burger who was a police officer in 1969 at the time of Haron’s death will give testimony at the inquiry today.

She said it is time that the record is set straight.

“There are hundreds of children whose parents have died at the hands of the apartheid regime that share our trauma and turmoil daily and we are grateful to be given a space to share our grief even if it is decades on. Maybe now we can start healing completely,” said Masoet-Haron.

The family continued to encourage citizens to sit in during court proceedings.

“It is the social responsibility of each and every member of the community to attend the proceedings and come and be apart of history but more than that come and hear first accounts of how the beloved Imam spent his final days on earth fighting for our liberation and freedom,” said Haron-Masoet.

According to Masoet-Haron the judgement into the inquest will be handed down early next year.

VOC