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Congress of the People (COPE) has lamented the extent that families need to go through to access justice for crimes committed during apartheid. Party Spokesperson Dennis Bloem says apartheid crimes must be addressed in order to close the heal the wounds of the country.<\/p>\n
This after Judge Motsamai Makume found that anti-apartheid activist Dr Neil Aggett did not die by suicide, but was killed by the police while in custody. In 1982, 28-year-old Aggett was found hanging in his cell at the infamous John Vorster Square police station, now Johannesburg Central police station, after being detained there for 70 days on suspicion of treason.<\/p>\n
A 1982 inquest, chaired by Magistrate Pieter Kotze, cleared the apartheid government and ruled his death a suicide.<\/p>\n
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In his judgment, Makume found Kotze was biased and not interested in finding out what had happened to Aggett, but rather why he had killed himself.<\/p>\n
He added the National Prosecuting Authority\u00a0(NPA)\u00a0should pursue criminal charges against those involved in Aggett\u2019s death. Bloem says there must be justice.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy is it that individual families must spend millions of rands to find out the truth and the perpetrator\u2019s legal defence are funded by government. We believe that if the country wants to close a painful chapter of the apartheid past, then we must see justice. Let children know who killed their parents. Let parents know who killed their children. Let all these perpetrators pay for their sins.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Johannesburg High Court delivers judgment in the Aggett Inquest:<\/strong><\/p>\n