Zim Now Writer
South Africa has announced it will reopen the investigation into the death of anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko, 48 years after he died in police custody.
Biko, a founder of the Black Consciousness Movement, was 30 when he died in 1977 after being arrested and allegedly tortured by police.
Biko was arrested for violating apartheid-era “banning orders” and transported hundreds of miles to Pretoria, where he died the day after arriving.
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Reports and testimonies from family and witnesses indicate he suffered severe abuse, contradicting official claims that he died from a hunger strike.
No one has ever been held accountable for Biko’s death. Some police officers involved sought amnesty during the post-apartheid Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings but were denied.
The Commission found that false affidavits had been submitted and that Biko’s death was the result of mistreatment while in custody.
South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority will now reopen a formal inquest to determine whether criminal offenses were committed.
Biko’s son, Nkosinathi, said that correcting the historical record and pursuing accountability is essential for justice and national healing.
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