ANC
Judge Nompumelelo Radebe ruled that Luthuli's death was not as a result of an accident but was as a deliberate effort to kill him.
The African National Congress (ANC) and the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, have welcomed the decision by the KwaZulu-Natal High Court, which overturned the original finding of accidental death claims of former ANC leader, Chief Albert Luthuli.
This comes as Judge Nompumelelo Radebe ruled that Luthuli's death was not as a result of an accident but was as a deliberate effort to kill him. On Thursday, Radebe made the ruling in the recently re-opened inquest into the death of the struggle icon, who died in 1967.
Radebe's ruling has effectively set aside the 1967 inquest ruling, which had concluded that Luthuli died after being struck by a goods train. Minister Kubayi commended the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for its work in this matter which presented compelling evidence that challenged the apartheid-era 1967 finding that Chief Luthuli’s death was an accident, instead arguing that it was a murder.
The Minister said that this outcome demonstrates our continued commitment to uncovering the truth and ensuring that justice is served, even in matters that date back decades.
“The courage and persistence of families who have pursued these cases, together with the dedication of institutions like the NPA, deserve our utmost respect,” Kubayi said. She further indicated that this decision affirms the justice sector’s ongoing efforts to ensure that South Africans, and all those seeking justice, receive it, and that families affected by historical injustices can finally find closure.
"The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development remains committed to supporting processes that advance truth, accountability, and justice for victims and their families," she added.
Meanwhile, Luthuli's political home in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, reacting to this ruling said the ruling marks a political and moral restorative justice.
"The re-opening of the inquest in 2025 was an act of moral restoration and national healing. It re-affirmed our collective duty to confront injustices of the past and to restore, the dignity of those whose lives were stolen in the struggle for liberation. Chief Luthuli's murder was not only an assault on a man, but, but an assault' on the principles of peace, justice, and democracy that continue to guide our government,' said ANC provincial spokesperson, Fanie Sibisi.
When delivering this landmark judgment, Radebe said the court received enough evidence which indicated that the doctor who was supposed to save Luthuli's life also finished him off, adding that evidence presented at the reopened inquest did not support the 1967 inquest findings, suggesting that Luthuli died after a train accident.
“The finding the ruling of the Magistrate CI Boswell, dated September 1967 at the Stanger Magistrates Court, is set aside. As to the cause and likely cause of death, it is found that the deceased died as a result of a fractured skull, cerebral haemorrhage and concussion of the brain associated with assault," the judge said.
Prior to his death, Luthuli was a revered leader of the ANC, whose struggle for freedom was premised on the principles of non-violence. He even received Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts which was bestowed upon him in 1960.
Albert Luthuli was a prominent South African anti-apartheid activist, leader of the African National Congress (ANC), and the first African Nobel Peace Prize laureate, recognized for his nonviolent struggle against racial discrimination
