The long-awaited reopened inquest into the death of anti-apartheid icon Steve Biko has been temporarily suspended after his family approached the Gqeberha High Court for intervention.
The Biko family is seeking additional time to prepare its case, arguing that its legal representatives need to work through a substantial body of historical evidence relating to Biko’s death in police custody.
The family’s concerns include the volume of documents from the original inquest, some of which still need to be translated and properly considered by the new legal team.
The legal challenge comes after an earlier request for a postponement was unsuccessful. The family subsequently returned to court seeking an interim order preventing the inquest from continuing while its broader legal challenge is considered.
Biko died on 12 September 1977 after suffering serious injuries while in the custody of apartheid security police. He was 30 years old.
The original inquest into his death concluded that no one could be held criminally responsible. Decades later, evidence presented before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission raised further questions about the circumstances surrounding his death.
The reopened inquest was authorised in 2025 as part of renewed efforts to establish whether criminal conduct contributed to Biko’s death and whether those responsible could face prosecution.
The latest court intervention means the proceedings have been placed on hold while the issues raised by the Biko family are considered.
The case remains closely watched as Biko’s family continues its decades-long pursuit of answers and accountability over the circumstances that led to the death of one of South Africa’s most prominent anti-apartheid figures.
No tags for this post.
