Biko family asks court to halt inquest over preparation concerns

The family of late Black Consciousness Movement leader Steve Biko has asked the Gqeberha High Court to temporarily suspend the inquest into his death, saying they need additional time to prepare their case.

The family brought an urgent application seeking to halt the proceedings, citing the large volume of documents that still need to be scrutinised.

According to the family, hundreds of documents remain under review, with some requiring translation from Afrikaans before they can be properly considered.

The application follows an earlier request by the Biko family’s legal team to postpone the inquiry, which Judge Isaac Madondo previously refused.

The family’s lawyer, Ngqiqo Sakhela, has previously criticised the manner in which the inquiry is being conducted, describing it as haphazard.

The latest application comes as the inquest hears evidence from former Security Branch member Jacobus Beneke, the second person of interest to take the stand.

Beneke testified on Tuesday that there was no intention to kill Biko while he was in the room where Security Branch officers were assaulting the anti-apartheid activist.

He confirmed that he was present when Biko was assaulted on September 6, 1977, but denied having any involvement in his death.

Beneke was a member of the notorious Security Branch, which was involved in the surveillance, harassment and brutal attacks on activists opposed to the apartheid government.

The inquest seeks to examine the circumstances surrounding Biko’s death and the events that preceded it.