Imam Abdullah Haron’s family and community may finally get the justice they deserve Photo SABC
South Africa – In September 1969, a somber chapter was etched into South Africa’s history with the tragic demise of Imam Abdullah Haron. An unwavering anti-Apartheid activist and a towering icon in the nation’s relentless pursuit of justice and equality, Imam Haron was abruptly torn from his family. At the time, his death was callously labelled an accident by the Apartheid regime, an assertion vehemently rejected by his grieving family. Half a century of relentless quest for truth and justice has elapsed, but as the saying goes, justice delayed need not necessarily be justice forever denied. A significant moment is now on the horizon, for on the 9th of October, a long-awaited verdict will finally be rendered in the inquest into the tragic death of Imam Haron during his time in Apartheid detention.
Although South Africa became a democracy in 1994, since then, the government made very few efforts to correct the narrative about Imam Haron’s death and to provide closure to the family. It was only in 2022 that the inquest was reopened as a result of ongoing pressure on the National Prosecuting Authority by the Haron family, the Foundation for Human Rights and the Webber Wentzel Pro Bono Unit.
Between 7-16 November 2022, the reopened inquest heard evidence from several witnesses including the children of Imam Haron, former political detainees, expert witnesses and a former police officer. The testimonies shed new light on the tragic death of Imam Haron.
Remembering and losing a father
Imam Haron was not just an anti-Apartheid activist but also a husband and a father. His sudden death had a significant impact on his children. The pain and memories continue to shape their lives. It has left his son, Professor Muhammed Haron with a mountain of trauma to deal with and left him to wonder what could have been.
“The internal trauma that we all experience is something that only an individual can sort of deal with.That’s why I have the view that a psychiatrist, psychologist might be able to assist but in the end, it is you, yourself, who will have to deal with it. In our case, I think this has been so. When we had the reopening in November last year and then again meeting in March, all of these just bring back memories and baggage of those days. Now that the verdict is on the verge of being publicised by the judge, we only hope, based on the hearings that have taken place, that the judge will come out with a very positive response.”
SMread: Inquest to straighten record, says Imam Haron’s family
Why the long-awaited verdict for justice
The judge’s thorough handling of the case instils confidence in a just response. However, Muhammed questioned why it took so long for justice to prevail. Why wasn’t the inquest reopened years back when the country first gained democracy.
“Couldn’t the democratic state that we have, instituted this reopening almost immediately? In other words when we established the democratic state our political leadership said all of these major cases from [Steve] Bheko, whose death was also during September, should have been open and should have been addressed almost immediately for three reasons. One, the evidence was very much still around. Two, the perpetrators of these injustices were also alive. Three, just for the memory of our communities who have been traumatised. Who are psychologically still impaired as a result of the Apartheid past.”
Closure: Partial and unattainable
While Muhammed remains hopeful for a favourable verdict, it’s essential to recognize that such an outcome can never truly offer complete solace to the grieving family. Shamela Shamis, the daughter of Imam Haron, vividly conveyed to the court how her mother’s world crumbled on the day her father passed away. Tragically, her mother also passed away, having endured a 50-year-long wait for justice that never materialised. The agonisingly protracted delay on the government’s part in delivering justice has effectively denied the family the opportunity for full closure. The pain of losing their father, the pains of the community losing their leader, that will never go away no matter the verdict. However, the truth about Imam Haron’s murder must be recorded, not just for the family but for the entire community that he served and inspired, said Muhammed.
“We would say there will be partial closure in a sense that at least the truth would come out. That he was murdered. We just want the judge to record that and that whatever was done then was an injustice. Not just for the family but for the community as well because he was a community leader. That needs to be recorded so that our children and the generations to come, when they look back and they read up the story, will note that at least the government sort of reopened it just to set the record straight.”
As is the case every year, the family will have a seminar, scheduled for September 27th, that will shed light on Imam Haron’s life and activism through the lens of journalism. Farid Sayed, Chief Editor of Muslim news, will explore Imam Haron’s story through the articles written for and by the Muslim news, providing unique insights into his life. Zubeida Jaffer, an internationally acclaimed journalist and activist, will also share her insights into her activism work and being a journalist during those times.
As the verdict in the inquest into the tragic death of Imam Haron approaches South Africa stands at the precipice of rectifying a somber chapter in its history. Imam Haron, an unwavering anti-Apartheid activist, was unjustly labelled a casualty of an accident by the Apartheid regime, leaving his family grappling with a painful void for over five decades. The reopening of the inquest in 2022, driven by the unyielding efforts of the Haron family and their allies, has provided an opportunity for truth and justice to prevail. Yet, as the verdict looms, it is crucial to recognize that while it may bring partial closure, it cannot fully mend the deep wounds inflicted by decades of injustice. For Imam Haron’s family and the entire community he served, the pain and trauma will endure. The verdict, which is long overdue, is significant not only in delivering justice but also in recording the truth, ensuring that the memory of Imam Haron’s struggle and sacrifice endures as a testament to the resilience of those who stood against oppression.
