The executive director of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation (AKF), Neeshan Balton appeared in the Randburg Magistrate's Court in connection with the death of two ANC members who were part of the armed unit, uMkhonto weSizwe (MK).
His appearance comes after the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks, subpoenaed him to court to answer questions about the death of Prakash Napier and Yusuf Akhalwaya.
After his appearance on Friday, the matter was postponed to April 2025 to allow further engagement between the State Prosecutor and Balton's legal representative.
The duo, who were based in Lenasia, were killed on December 11, 1989, in a limpet mine explosion at Park Station in Johannesburg.
Chairperson of AKF and former Cabinet minister Derek Hanekom, explained that Napier, Akhalwaya and Jameel Chand, as members of MK’s Ahmed Timol Unit (ATU), were on their way to conduct a sabotage attack at the railway station, when the limpet mine bomb exploded prematurely, resulting in the tragic deaths of the two MK combatants.
Hanekom said Lieutenant Colonel Jason Naidoo had been engaging with Balton over the past two years as Balton was the underground political commander of the Ahmed Kathrada Political-Military Committee in Lenasia in the late 1980s.
"The Hawks claim that they are investigating the circumstances of the explosion, and possible murder of the victims, by suspects who are unknown at this stage,” said Hanekom.
“They claim that this matter emanates from the report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), and they believe that Balton may have material or relevant information relating to the case.”
The AKF said it is aware that Balton submitted a detailed response to questions posed to him by Naidoo, which the latter seems to believe was inadequate, hence the subpoena.
Meanwhile, the Akhalwaya family said they believe that the two men died in an unfortunate accident during a mission and do not support the reopening of the case.
"It is important to remember that they had successfully completed numerous missions without incident. To suggest that their deeply trusted comrades were complicit in the deaths, is unfounded.
"While we were not aware nor informed of any inquest in the past, we do not support the reopening of a chapter of our lives we’ve made peace with. Any further investigations would only serve to deepen our pain and offer no solace," said the family in a statement.
sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za
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