PE Express

Crime scenes in murder of Cradock Four inspected in Gqeberha

The families of the Cradock Four have been waiting for almost 40 years for justice. Despite the challenges, they still hope this inquest will finally reveal the truth.

Judge Bethe, with the Cradock Four attorneys on their way to the third site visit in Bluewater Bay, Gqeberha.
Judge Bethe, with the Cradock Four attorneys on their way to the third site visit in Bluewater Bay, Gqeberha. Credit: Shanti Jafta

The families of the Cradock Four have been waiting for almost 40 years for justice. Despite the challenges, they still hope this inquest will finally reveal the full truth about what happened to their loved ones.

On Monday, 2nd June 2025, a third inquest began in the High Court in Gqeberha into the Cradock Four murders, where four anti-apartheid activists from the 1980s were kidnapped and assassinated by authorities of the then government.

The inquest into the deaths of the Cradock Four is being presided over by Judge Thami Beshe, who was present for all site inspections conducted yesterday in Cradock and today in Gqeberha and surrounding areas.

The site visits in Gqeberha today were at the Coega CCA Administration entrance in Motherwell, where the vehicle of Matthew Goniwe was found, according to the then search and rescue official, Gcobani Zonke.

The second was the site where the body of Sicelo Mhlauli was found, in the proximity of King George’s Avenue in St George’s Strand.

The third site visit was in Bluewater Bay where a search and rescue official of that time, Judy Chambers, believes Matthew Goniwe was found. The precise location is unknown as there are now houses situated in the areas where the fallen heroes were last seen. The last site visit was in Redhouse, where it is alleged that Sparrow Mkonto was found by Mbulelo Goniwe.

Nombuyiselo Mhlauli, widow of Sicelo Mhlauli, said, “My first reaction when I heard that there will be a third inquest into the murders of the Cradock Four was, ‘How long will it take?’ I was reluctant at first, but I was advised to give it another chance as I had nothing to lose. At least this way, I can have some sort of closure. Yes, I get information in bits and pieces, but at least I am putting the pieces of the puzzle together, which is good.”

The advocate for the Cradock Four families said most of the members who were in the state security police and who were believed to be involved are deceased.

Lonwabo Mkonto, son of Sparrow Mkonto, said, “We are hoping for the best for this third inquest into the deaths of our fathers. We hope that this third inquest will be the end of this. We really push for that, because we do not want this situation to spill over to our kids. We don’t want this to be a generational trauma; we want it to end here. We really hope that this will be the last inquest into the deaths of our fathers.”

Judge Beshe said that the matter will resume tomorrow, 5th June, at the Gqeberha High Court.

Lonwabo Mkonto sharing his recollection of the story about his father, Sparrow Mkonto, and where he was allegedly found in Redhouse, Gqeberha. Photo: Shanti Jafta

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