Security Branch

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News

Witness and forensic expert cast further doubt on official version of Mabelane death

Fresh testimony at the reopened inquest into the death of anti-apartheid activist, Matthews "Mojo" Mabelane, has raised further questions about conditions inside apartheid-era detention facilities, while a forensic pathologist has highlighted significant flaws in the original investigation. The Johannesburg High Court heard evidence on Friday from former student activist, Chippa Joseph Dikgole, who described prolonged interrogations, assaults and psychological intimidation by Security Branch officers following his arrest in 1977. Dikgole, […]

todayJune 5, 2026 69

News

Physics, architecture deepen doubts in Mabelane death narrative

The reopened inquest into the death of anti-apartheid activist, Matthews "Mojo" Mabelane, is increasingly shifting from witness testimony to questions of physics and building design, as experts argue that the official account of a suicide fall from the 10th floor of the former police headquarters may not align with physical evidence. At the Johannesburg High Court, both the State and the Mabelane family continue to challenge the apartheid-era finding that […]

todayJune 2, 2026 122 4

News

State alleges systematic cover-up as reopened Mabelane inquest begins

The Johannesburg High Court has heard allegations of a systematic cover-up in the way deaths in detention at the former John Vorster Square Police Station were investigated during apartheid, as the reopened inquest into the death of anti-apartheid activist Matthews "Mojo" Mabelane gets underway. The inquest is revisiting the circumstances surrounding the death of the 22-year-old activist, who died in police detention in February 1977, less than a year after […]

todayJune 1, 2026 54

News

TRC inquiry hears ANC prosecution fears may have delayed Apartheid cases

The TRC Cases Inquiry has heard that fears of possible prosecutions against senior African National Congress (ANC) leaders, including former president Thabo Mbeki, may have contributed to resistance within the South African Police Service (SAPS) to pursue apartheid-era investigations. Retired General, Raymond Lalla, returned to the inquiry on Thursday for cross-examination over allegations of interference and delays in unresolved TRC prosecutions. Families of apartheid victims, represented by Advocate Howard Varney, […]

todayMay 21, 2026 69