A third judicial inquest into the deaths of the Cradock Four began in the Gqeberha High Court on Monday, but proceedings are limited for now because the South African Defence Force has refused to fund legal representation for Lt General Joffel van der Westhuizen. The court also heard that some documents, crucial to the case, remain classified.
A judicial inquest into the deaths of the “Cradock Four” began in the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court in Gqeberha on Monday.
The legal team for Joffel van der Westhuizen, the former commanding officer of the Eastern Province Command and one of those implicated in the killings, said the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) had refused to pay his legal costs.
Judge Thami Beshe ruled that, for the time being, witnesses may only testify about incriminating evidence available in public documents.
Van der Westhuizen’s legal team argued that it would be unfair for incriminating evidence to be led until his legal funding issues was resolved.
