Late Imam’s family want death probe

THE family of the late Imam Abdullah Haron has asked for the inquest into his death to be re-opened.

The family said in a statement, released yesterday, they did not believe the official version that the Imam fell down stairs.

The former anti-apartheid activist died in police custody on September 27, 1969 after spending 123 days in detention.

The Haron family claims that he was “brutally tortured” while in custody and that this lead to his death.

The family further claims that Haron and Nicodemus Kgoathe, Solomon Modipane, James Lenkoe, Caleb Mayekiso, Michael Shivute, and Jacob Manakgotla were all murdered while in custody.

Haron was born on February 8, 1924 in the Newlands-Claremont area.

During his early years he completed Grade 6 at Talfalah Primary School and later completed Islamic studies in Mecca for two years.

According to the family statement, Haron’s ideas were influenced and shaped by internal and external forces.

When he was officially appointed in 1955 as Imam of Al-Jamia Mosque in Stegman Road (Claremont) many of his ideas were implemented.

On the morning of May 28, 1969 the Imam was summoned by the notorious Security Branch to Caledon Square.

The statement goes on to say that once there, he was detained by one of the Security Branch’s “brutal” officers, Spyker van Wyk, under Section 6 of Act 83 of 1967, referred to as the Terrorism Act. The Imam was held incommunicado for over four months with no opportunity to see his wife and children.

Haron was not seen alive again.