In a deeply emotional inquest hearing, the families of the Cradock Four – Matthew Goniwe, Fort Calata, Sicelo Mhlauli, and Sparrow Mkhonto – revisited the brutal truth of their loved ones’ murders and renewed their decades-long call for justice.
Nyameka Goniwe, widow of Matthew Goniwe, said her husband and his comrades were “perceived threats” to the apartheid state. “They were accused of disrupting schools, mobilising Cradock, and raising political awareness. They were hated for it,” she testified.
Her son, Lukhanyo Goniwe, supported this. “I saw documents labelling my father a terrorist,” he said.
According to Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) records, the four men were murdered in what can only be described as acts of unspeakable cruelty. In court, Calata shared the details of how the heroes were assassinated. “Matthew and Sicelo were both stabbed multiple times; Fort was stabbed in the heart; Sparrow was shot in the head and also stabbed in the heart.”
When asked by advocate Howard Varney why the killings were so brutal, Calata replied, “It was because of apartheid. It dehumanised us. For these four ‘sub-humans’ to dare to want equality was almost like, ‘how dare they believe they were anything more than what we made them out to be?’”
Two previous inquests failed to deliver justice. The first inquest in 1989, led by Magistrate E. De Beer, concluded that “the killers were unknown,” despite compelling evidence linking the Security Police to the murders.
In 1994, Judge Neville Zietsman presided over the second inquest, finding that the Cradock Four were killed by unknown persons, but acknowledged the involvement of Security Police officers. Despite the new democratic dispensation, no prosecutions followed.
“When Madiba came to Cradock in 1995 to lay a wreath for our fathers, we believed justice would follow, but nothing happened,” said Calata.
“We Were Ripped Apart”
Calata described the lasting trauma on families. “White families value fathers. So why was it so easy to rip us apart and have no consequences? The pain is something we’ve lived with for nearly 40 years.”
He recalled the moment the last suspect in the case, Hermanus du Plessis, died. “It was a punch in the gut. When I got the call from our lawyers, I had a panic attack.” This testimony triggered an emotional response from the widows, Nomonde Calata and Nombuyiselo Mhlauli, as they were visibly weeping in court and comforted each other.
“All six members of the hit squad are dead. All the masterminds are dead. It is unforgivable that authorities let them die peacefully without prosecution,” he added.
Lukhanyo emphasised how personal this fight is. “In many ways, the brutal murder of my father and his comrades has moulded me. I will not rest until the last surviving killer is brought to book.”
Delays, Missing Dockets, and Lost Hope
He described dealing with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) as a disheartening process. “The docket went missing. That snuffed out the little hope we had of justice.”
He added, “Unless forced through the courts, the government showed no appetite to pursue TRC cases. It became clear that legal means were the only way to get help.”
Even having ANC officials like Mbulelo Goniwe, Matthew Goniwe’s nephew in the African National Congress (ANC) didn’t accelerate justice.
“We thought proximity to power would help. It didn’t. The ANC didn’t care,” Calata said.
Calata closed his testimony by referencing FW de Klerk’s involvement. “Public records show he was in SSC meetings before and after the murders. After his death, his widow, Elita Georgiades wished us strength, hoping this inquest would bring closure.”
But for the families, closure remains elusive.
“There has never been justice for those who sacrificed their lives for the democracy we enjoy today. We will not stop seeking it,” Calata concluded.
The proceedings will continue on Monday, June 9.
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