Galiema Haron never saw justice for her husband
THE widow of Muslim cleric and anti-apartheid activist Imam Abdullah Haron died waiting for justice.
Galiema Sadan-Haron, 93, of Joburg, died in her sleep on Sunday morning.
The date also marked the 50th anniversary Haron was buried.
Sadan-Haron was buried in the same grave site as her husband – at the Mowbray Muslim Cemetery in Salt River, which was last week given provincial heritage status.
Haron was arrested and kept in prison for 123 days in 1969 until he “fell from a flight of stairs” at the Maitland police station and died.
According to his youngest of three children, Fatima Haron-Masoet, an autopsy conducted a day after his death revealed he had 26 bruises on his body.
The bruises were located above his groin, on his legs, thighs, back, chest and lower knees.
He also had internal bleeding near the base of his spine, his stomach was empty, and his seventh rib was broken.
Haron died on September 27, 1969, the same year six other Struggle heroes were killed in detention – Nicodemus Kgoathe, Solomon Modipane, James Lenkoe, Caleb Mayekiso, Michael Shivute, and Jacob Monakgotla.
Earlier this year, Haron’s family requested an inquest into his death.
Haron-Masoet said while her mother, who was referred to as Liema by her husband, was old, she gave her children her blessings to go ahead with the inquest.
“When my father died, my mother refused to question anything. She knew his death was not accidental but out of fear, she declined to ask anything.
“When the Truth and Reconciliation Commission came about, we again asked her to go ahead and ask questions, but she said there was no justice and refused. This year, she gave us her blessings to open the inquest. She said she hoped the inquest would bring some closure for us.”
Haron-Masoet said her mother, who was bedridden, died of natural causes.
“For about three weeks (before her death), she knew she would not last long. Thursday marked the 50th anniversary of my father’s death.
We held prayers and other celebrations over the entire weekend, in honour of him. She knew what was happening but could not respond because she lost her voice.
“The last time she reacted to us, was on Friday when one of the local papers printed a picture of her and my father.
“Her carer showed her the picture and remarked at how handsome they both looked together and for the first time in weeks, my mother looked at the picture and smiled.
“The carer even called us to show us. It was the sweetest smile on seeing my father in the paper with her… That was the last time she reacted or even responded to us.”
The couple is survived by three children and 17 grandchildren.