Justice close for Cradock Four, Dulcie September

THE families of the “Cradock Four” have been informed that they will only know in January whether the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) will go ahead in prosecuting those suspected in the deaths of their loved ones.

The families recently criticised the NPA for stonewalling them on whether they will prosecute those responsible for the murders of anti-apartheid activists Ford Calata, Matthew Goniwe, Sparrow Mkonto and Sicelo Mhlauli – known as the Cradock 4.

They were kidnapped and murdered by apartheid security police.

Speaking to the Daily News’ sister publication the Cape Argus, Lukhanyo Calata, Ford’s son, confirmed the NPA’S submission on Friday in Parliament that it had met the families on November 4.

“We found the interaction was quite helpful. It was the first time that someone as senior as the Eastern Cape director of public prosecutions (advocate Barry Madolo) had actually engaged with the widows in particular.

“It was the first time they had the opportunity to sit in a room and ask all the questions they needed. We were quite happy with that. We’re very satisfied that there is some form of open communication between us as the families and the NPA,” he said.

He said Madolo “assured” them the NPA was working on the investigation.

Meanwhile, the directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) confirmed it was exploring options with regard to tackling an investigation into the 1988 assassination in France of Athlone-born ANC political activist Dulcie September.

This follows the hearing two weeks ago in a Paris court of final arguments in a civil case which judgment, due in a couple of weeks, will determine whether the French state should have acceded to her request for protection.

September was the chief representative of the ANC in France, Switzerland and Luxembourg..

Reached for comment, Hawks spokesperson Nomthandazo Mbambo said the investigators were exploring ways to “tackle the matter, taking into consideration issues pertaining to jurisdiction”.

The French police closed the case in July 2002 because there had been no new information since July 1992 when a judge ruled the case not prosecutable.

The NPA gave assurances to Parliament about the speeding up of prosecution of apartheid-era crimes referred by the TRC. To date, 129 matters are under investigation and 64 investigations have been re-opened.