IOL News
October 28 2015 at 10:12am
Johannesburg – If an inquest into the death of anti-apartheid activist and teacher Ahmed Timol is reopened, his family and friends won’t be left wondering what happened to him.
Tuesday marked the 44th anniversary of his death in detention. At the time, magistrate JL de Villiers said Timol had committed suicide, but it is believed that he was pushed from the 10th floor.
“The medical examiner found at least 14 different injuries, ranging from five to two days prior to his death,” said Bizos, who was the attorney during Timol’s inquest.
“They claimed he committed suicide, but they were lying, and the senior magistrate disregarded all the evidence,” Bizos said.
Timol’s brother Mohammed said his brother had died at the prime of his life, a week before his 30th birthday.
“The magistrate found he killed himself because that’s what communists did. They said he committed suicide because he gave up his comrades,” he said.
Mohammed reminded roughly 50 people at the memorial that his brother was also the first activist to die at John Vorster Square, as the police station was then named.
“He gave up the comforts of life in London to fight the apartheid regime and set up underground structures for the ANC.”
He added: “The lives of all those who died in detention, not just my brother, should inspire us to improve the lives of those who continue to live in poverty.”
ilanit.chernick@inl.co.za
The Star
