The question lingered for a distraught Nomonde Calata, the widow of the late anti-apartheid martyr Fort Calata after being dealt a heavy blow in the Gqeberha High Court on Monday where the inquest into the murders of the Cradock
Four was postponed for almost another year.
It is set only to be heard in June next year, which will also be the month marking the 40th anniversary of their death.
The families of Calata, Matthew Goniwe, Sicelo Mhlauli, and Sparrow Mkonto also expressed disappointment that the truth and justice had been delayed for them for so many years.
Initially, over 49 people had been identified as having some direct interest in the case or an indirect link. However, many of these individuals have since died.
There are now only five people left, most of them are over the age of 80 and two of them in their mid 70s.
“We are getting older, we are not getting younger, the perpetrators are dying...they are also getting older. Every day you hope something will happen and you hope that you will hear something. We are disappointed because it took so long for us to get here. Where are we now? I was asking myself. At the second inquest, I'm wondering what is going on?
“Why are they hiding the truth from us? Why are they keeping us in suspense? If there was a deal it would make it easier if they tell us this is what happened so this is why there’s always something that interferes with the proceedings of this case.
“I am disappointed. My wish this morning was if this case can be postponed maybe by November this year, January next year but never June. June is the month my husband was killed and June is the month he will be gone for 40 years. It’s a sad month for us as families. So why postpone it to June?” Nomonde asked.
Eastern Cape Hawks spokesperson, Captain Yolisa Mgolodela said they were making good progress on the 22 TRC cases they had been investigating, since the cases were decentralised to various provinces.
“For the Cradock Four, this is the third time this inquest is supposed to take place. There have been two inquests that failed. This is the first one during the democratic era; back then people were afraid to testify.
“This time everybody has a right to life. However, one of the challenges we are facing is people who are suitable candidates to testify, some are already dead,” Mgolodela said.
Despite the challenges, she said the investigating officer in the Cradock Four case was ready and several other TRC cases were also almost ready to go to court, including the Steve Biko case.
The historic re-opening of the inquest into the deaths of the Cradock Four was due to sit from September 2 to 20, following the announcement by former Minister of Justice, Ronald Lamola, on January 5, that the decision had been taken to re-open the inquest, almost 40 years since the assassination of Calata, Goniwe, Mhlauli, and Mkonto at the hands of the apartheid regime on June 27, 1985.
However, there is still a dispute over the legal costs of the former SAP and SADF witnesses who complained that they were notified too late to prepare for the inquest and have not been able to secure state funding for their legal costs.
On August 12, Judge Nomathamsanqa Beshe issued an order to the State Attorney, the SAPS and SANDF to expedite the payment of the reasonable legal costs of the former state officials.
The matter has since been postponed to June 2 next year to resolve these among other issues and prevent the further delay of the inquest.
Cape Times