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29 May 2026: Press release: Family members of the Cradock Four ... Cradock 4 case news 29 May 2026: Press release: Family members of the Cradock Four apply for an Order of Contempt of Court against Acting Secretary of Defence, Dr Thobekile Gamede PRESS RELEASE To: All Media ATT: News Editors, Human Rights Reporters For Immediate Release 29 May 2026 Family members of the Cradock Four apply for an Order of Contempt of Court against Acting Secretary of Defence , Dr Thobekile Gamede Statement by the Foundation for Human Rights The families of the murdered Cradock Four activists have issued a Contempt of Court application against South Africa’s Acting Secretary of Defence, Dr Thobekile Gamede and the Department of Defence (DOD). This comes after the Department of Defence failed to comply with a court order issued by the judge presiding over the inquest, Justice Bushe, to disclose key documents pertaining to the case. The families argue that the DOD willfully and intentionally refused to declassify the documents, in contravention of Justice Beshe’s court order. The documents in question were generated between 1982 and 1987 and are currently held by the South African National Defence For…

Judge Orders Department of Defence to Explain Ongoing 'Secrecy' of ... Judge Orders Department of Defence to Explain Ongoing 'Secrecy' of Cradock Four Documentation Case Law South Africa · AllAfrica SA · 16 Jun Briefly Analysis Abstract Former acting Secretary of Defence, Dr. Thobekile Gamede, faces contempt of court charges for failing to declassify crucial apartheid-era documents related to the 1985 murders of anti-apartheid activists, the Cradock Four. The Gqeberha High Court, presided over by Judge Beshe, declared the continued security classification of these documents unlawful and ordered their unconditional release. This legal development underscores the persistent struggle for transparency and accountability concerning historical injustices in post-apartheid South Africa, as families seek to uncover the full truth behind the assassinations of Matthew Goniwe, Fort Calata, Sparrow Mkhonto, and Sicelo Mhlauli, more than four decades after their deaths. The Department of Defence's reliance on national security concerns for continued secrecy has been challenged as inconsistent with democratic values. Introduction The enduring quest for truth and justice in South Africa's post-a…

Judge orders Department of Defence to explain ongoing 'secrecy' of ... Former acting Secretary of Defence Dr Thobekile Gamede faces contempt charges after failing to declassify crucial documents related to the 1985 murders of anti-apartheid activists known as the Cradock Four. By Estelle Ellis 16 Jun 2026 Illustrative image: The Cradock Four: Fort Calata, Matthew Goniwe, Sparrow Mkonto and Sicelo Mhlauli were murdered in 1985 by the apartheid police. (Photo: Karin Brulliard / The Washington Post via Getty Images) | The sons of the Cradock Four, from left: Ntsika Mhlauli, Nyaniso Goniwe, Lukhanyo Calata and Lonwabo Mkonto. (Photo: Supplied) Dive Deeper Speed Read Summary Listen Dive Deeper South Africa’s (SA’s) former acting Secretary of Defence, Dr Thobekile Gamede, has been ordered to appear before the Gqeberha High Court to explain why she should not be held in contempt of court for failing to declassify documents relating to the murders of the Cradock Four on 27 June 1985. The Cradock Four were anti-apartheid activists Fort Calata, Sicelo Mhlauli, Sparrow Mkonto and Matthew Goniwe. The graves of Matthew Goniwe, Fort Calata, Sparrow Mkhonto and Sicelo Mhlauli in Cradock in the E…

South Africa: Judge Orders Department of Defence to Explain Ongoing 'Secrecy' of Cradock Four Documentation [Daily Maverick] Former acting Secretary of Defence Dr Thobekile Gamede faces contempt charges after failing to declassify crucial documents related to the 1985 murders of anti-apartheid activists known as the Cradock Four.

Defence department ordered to hand over documents relating to Cradock ... Story audio is generated using AI Time is ticking for the SA’s acting secretary of defence, Dr Thobekile Gamede, and the defence department to hand over key documents to the families of the Cradock Four pertaining to their ongoing case. Judge Thami Beshe recently granted an order sought by the families of the murdered Cradock Four activists . The families had lodged a contempt of court application concerning the department’s failure to comply with a court order issued by the judge to disclose key documents pertaining to the case. Beshe deemed the matter urgent and ordered the secretary for defence to unconditionally produce the documents in unredacted form in both electronic and hard copy format within five court days following the decision on June 12. Beshe ordered that the first respondent, the secretary, must show cause as to why they should not be held in contempt of court and why a sanction should not be imposed. She also awarded costs against the department and the secretary in favour of the Cradock Four families. The families argued that the department wilfully and intentionally refused to declassify …

South Africa: Judge Orders Department of Defence to Explain Ongoing ... Former acting Secretary of Defence Dr Thobekile Gamede faces contempt charges after failing to declassify crucial documents related to the 1985 murders of anti-apartheid activists known as the Cradock Four. South Africa's (SA's) former acting Secretary of Defence, Dr Thobekile Gamede, has been ordered to appear before the Gqeberha High Court to explain why she should not be held in contempt of court for failing to declassify documents relating to the murders of the Cradock Four on 27 June 1985. The Cradock Four were anti-apartheid activists Fort Calata, Sicelo Mhlauli, Sparrow Mkonto and Matthew Goniwe. They were returning to Cradock from Gqeberha (known then as Port Elizabeth) on 27 June 1985 when they were arrested at a roadblock manned by the Security Branch, assaulted and murdered. Keep up with the latest headlines onWhatsApp|LinkedIn Previous inquests There have been two previous inquests into their deaths. The first, in 1987, concluded that the men had been killed by "unknown persons". No one was prosecuted. The second, in 1993, presided over by former Eastern Cape Judge President Neville Zietsman…