The Eastern Cape High Court sitting in Gqeberha is set to visit Blue Water Bay the location where the charred vehicle and remains of the Cradock Four were discovered in 1985. The site visit forms part of the reopened inquest into the deaths of the four anti-apartheid activists.
Matthew Goniwe, Fort Calata, Sparrow Mkhonto, and Sicelo Mhlauli collectively known as the Cradock Four are believed to have been assassinated by members of the apartheid-era security branch while travelling from Gqeberha to Cradock nearly four decades ago.
On Tuesday, the inquest legal team conducted a series of on-site inspections in Nxuba (formerly Cradock), which included a visit to the local police station, the Goniwe family home, and Olifantskop Pass — the location where the activists were reportedly abducted.
The inquest, which resumed earlier this year, aims to uncover the full truth behind the killings, and possibly hold those responsible to account. The original inquest, held in 1987, concluded that the activists had died at the hands of "unknown persons." However, testimony and findings from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission later implicated members of the apartheid security forces in the planning and execution of the murders.
The court’s upcoming visit to Blue Water Bay is expected to provide vital context as proceedings continue to piece together the events surrounding one of the most harrowing crimes of South Africa’s apartheid era.