A reopened inquest into the 1977 death of student activist Matthews Mabelane has presented expert evidence contradicting the apartheid-era police account that he fell while trying to escape custody.
The proceedings at the Gauteng Division of the High Court in Johannesburg examined the death of 22-year-old Mabelane on 15 February 1977 at John Vorster Square police headquarters. Expert witnesses including architect Dr Heather Dodd, trajectory specialist Dr Thivash Moodley, and forensic pathologists Dr Shakeera Holland and Dr Steve Naidoo testified that the official narrative was physically implausible. Moodley stated that Mabelane could only have landed where his body was found if thrown from the roof.
Investigator Christopher Clifford Marion described the original police inquiry as a cover-up, noting the absence of photographs, fingerprints, and interviews with black officers. He concluded that Mabelane was likely tortured into unconsciousness and thrown from the building.
Warrant Officer Leana Viljoen, the sole surviving officer from the case, attended an on-site inspection on 2 June but her testimony was postponed to 21 July after her legal team failed to appear. Mabelane's brothers said the hearings provide a chance for long-delayed closure despite the wait of 49 years.
