The reopened inquest into the death of Nobel Peace Prize laureate and anti-apartheid leader Inkosi Albert John Mvumbi Luthuli has been postponed to October for closing arguments after the state concluded its list of witnesses.
On Wednesday, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed that proceedings in the Pietermaritzburg High Court were adjourned to October 13 to 16, 2025.
The NPA, represented by Advocates Ncedile Dunywa, Annah Chuene, Siyabonga Ngcobo and Xolani Msimango, led testimony from an extensive list of witnesses since the inquest resumed on April 14 this year.
“In this reopened inquest, the NPA led an array of witnesses, including South African Police (SAPS) members, Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) officials, scene reconstruction and simulation experts, forensic analysts, medical evidence, family members of Chief Luthuli, anti-apartheid activists, and friends of Chief Luthuli,” NPA Regional Spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara stated.
Luthuli, born in 1898, was appointed by the then Department of Native Affairs in 1937 as Chief of the Zulu tribe in Groutville. He joined the African National Congress (ANC) in 1944 and later became its President General.
A key organiser of the 1952 Defiance Campaign alongside Nelson Mandela and others, Luthuli was labelled a “terrorist” by the apartheid government. His chieftainship was revoked, and he was placed under multiple banning orders that restricted his movements.
Despite the state’s efforts to silence him, Luthuli remained a prominent voice in the struggle.
“In 1960, Chief Luthuli was awarded the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize,” Ramkisson-Kara said.
“He continued to advocate for equal rights amongst all racial groups within South Africa through various speeches and writings until his untimely death on 21 July 1967.”
His death, reportedly caused by a collision with a goods train, has remained a matter of controversy. A 1967 inquest concluded that “there was no evidence which disclosed any criminal culpability on the part of any of the employees of the South African Railways or anyone else.”
The current inquest seeks to re-examine that conclusion in light of new evidence and testimony. The October proceedings are expected to allow both the state and interested parties to make their closing submissions.
The NPA confirmed that it would not be calling further witnesses.
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