Inquest Finds Activist Dr Neil Aggett Killed By Security Police

The inquest into the death of anti-apartheid activist Dr Neil Aggett has found that he did not take his life but was killed by the security police.

Agget died in custody in Johannesburg in 1982 after being held without trial.

Judgment has been handed down in the inquest in the Johannesburg High Court.

Aggett had worked as a physician helping black patients during apartheid and became involved with unions, fighting for workers’ rights.

He was arrested with his partner Dr Elizabeth Floyd in November 1981.

He died on 5 February 1982 after 70 days of detention without trial.

The police had argued that he took his life at the John Vorster Square Police Station by hanging himself.

A 1982 inquest chaired by magistrate Pieter Kotze cleared the police and ruled his death a suicide.

However, a new inquest has found that he did not die by suicide and was killed by the police while in custody.

Judge Motsamai Makume handed down his ruling in the Johannesburg High Court on Friday following the inquest that spanned two years.

Makume found that Kotze was biased and not interested in finding out what had happened to Aggett.

When Aggett didn’t regain consciousness after being tortured, he was taken to his cell, propped up and hanged.

It’s been found he was killed by the members of the security branch.

Added to this, a while before his death, Aggett had been interrogated for 62 straight hours with no sleep.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has been called to investigate a charge of murder.