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A young black man sitting on a bench reserved for white people in South Africa in 1959 DPA/PA Images

46-year-old case of a man dying in police custody reopens South Africa's apartheid wounds

An inquest at the time said Ahmed Timol died by suicide. A review of the case now, however, is telling a different story.

POLICE BRUTALITY, “FAKE news” propaganda and official cover-ups at the height of apartheid have been laid bare in a South African court probing the death of a communist activist 46 years ago.

Ahmed Timol, a 29-year-old anti-apartheid volunteer, was arrested in Johannesburg in October 1971 and after five days in detention he died after plummeting from the city’s police headquarters.

Officers at the time said he died by suicide – a verdict endorsed by an inquest – but his family fought the ruling and campaigned hard to secure a review that finally began on 26 June.

A former officer in the feared security branch which held Timol and was involved in sabotaging anti-apartheid groups, has spoken out about his squad’s brutal techniques in court.

“(I saw) a man’s testicles being crushed like pepper,” said Paul Erasmus, now 61, who joined the unit after Timol’s death.

Electric shocks were used very widely… as all the detectives had little shock machines (adapted) from the old telephone system.

Officers referred to the boxes as Radio Moscow because of the leftist leanings of many of the detainees, he said.

‘Physical assault in custody’

Pathologist Shakeera Holland told the hearing in Pretoria that Timol’s body, including his face, was covered in bruises and scratches.

“Most of the bruises… were not consistent with a fall from a height,” said Holland. “(He) sustained physical assault while in police custody.”

Erasmus told AFP he had personally beaten several detainees during his career.

Significantly for Timol’s family, who are convinced he was pushed from the 10th floor window, Erasmus revealed that a brigadier known as “the sweeper” was responsible for covering up police crimes.

“They’d sweep up the bits and sort it out,” said Erasmus, who kept diaries of his 17 year-long service and admitted he was attracted to the work by “the James Bond secret agent thing”.

Stephanie Kemp, a communist anti-apartheid fighter, told the court that one of the party’s pamphlets appeared to have been doctored following Timol’s death to apparently endorse suicide in detention as a resistance tactic.

Erasmus also disclosed that the police investigations branch was headed by a man considered by his colleagues so brutal and anti-semitic that he was given the moniker “Little Hitler”.

He then told the court how he became an expert at forging struggle icon Desmond Tutu’s signature, using it to reply to a wealthy US heiress who had offered him funds, declining the money.

In his role in the police’s psychological warfare unit, Erasmus said he also produced propaganda to persuade foreign leaders to cut ties to the banned African National Congress (ANC) party.

“People call it fake news today. Sometimes to stir the pot, sometimes to create false impressions – but the heart of it was to sow disunity in the liberation movement,” he said.

Erasmus appeared in court with wiry shoulder-length grey hair, carrying a dog-eared year book and wearing a black leather motorcycle jacket.

His evidence has included some of the most significant disclosures about the apartheid system since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which concluded in 1998.

Erasmus, granted partial amnesty at the TRC, also revealed that he was involved in efforts to make another activist who died in police custody appear to have been suicidal.

“We were told that Neil Aggett hung himself and told to prove he was suicidal from the day he was born,” Erasmus said.

A subsequent inquest found that the white anti-apartheid activist died by hanging and that police were not to blame. But human rights lawyer George Bizos argued at the time that his suicide was induced.

‘History is on our side’

Marjorie Jobson of the Khulumani apartheid victim support group described the claim as a major development for the family of Aggett who died in 1982.

The revelation visibly affected Jobson, who was in court, prompting her to describe the review as a “second wave of testimonies”.

Bizos, also present for the review, said that criminal charges could still be brought against those implicated in the Timol case.

“The people whose loved ones were killed by the regime want to come to terms with themselves,” he said. “They want an acknowledgement that their lives counted.”

Bizos, one of Nelson Mandela’s closest personal confidants, said that the review could have far-reaching consequences.

“Truth has a way of floating to the top. We are pleased to also reinforce this for people who were in favour of apartheid – and we encourage them to come forward,” he said.

Bizos said that he expected more case reviews, adding “history is on our side.”

The court plans to hear evidence next week from policemen present at the scene of Timol’s death.

© – AFP, 2017

Read: South African girl, 9, becomes only the third child to be ‘functionally cured’ of HIV

Read: Trial begins of South African man accused of murdering family

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    Mute Diarmaid Twomey
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 9:28 AM

    To be fair I found SUSI very efficient and rapid ………. in telling me to feck off and don’t be hassling them for a grant.

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    Mute Ciara O'Halloran
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 9:18 AM

    Same for me, studying in Ulster. Haven’t had decision from susi, application was made last year.. Course is finished in September. I just gave up though, hopefully this guy sticks to it and gets it.

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    Mute Rebecca Ní Smurchú
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 8:58 AM

    Don’t forget there’s the ombudsman to complain to as well now.

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    Mute shaunandelly
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 9:30 AM

    Giving up on it is what they are hoping for.Anything outside the norm now is put on the long finger.

    44
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    Mute James Dolan
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 9:58 AM

    I don’t think SUSI have some sort of agenda of purposefully delaying applicants to this end tbf. I really hope this guy is just mistaken in his eligibility for a grant because I’d hate for Irish students to find themselves in a foreign country completely unsupported, especially if you live under the circumstances of requiring a grant to begin with.

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    Mute shaunandelly
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 10:02 AM

    If he was mistaken. Ie his fault, shouldn’t they have told him that by now.

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    Mute James Dolan
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 10:42 AM

    Unnamed source, interview could have been done over the phone or the internet, maybe the journal just wanted a sensational story to tie in with SUSI application deadline so ignored certain points? Sure for all we know this student might not exist.

    My point is maybe there is something more complicated at work in this case, perhaps he was refused and he’s waiting on an appeal which to me sounds a little bit more reasonable but still not acceptable for such a ridiculous delay. Or maybe SUSI is actually run by apes, I just don’t think they’re trying to squeeze people out of the system by purposefully delaying them, even though that would make sense from a budget perspective :P

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    Mute Aoife Barry
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 11:11 AM

    Hi James, the person I interviewed does – of course – exist. He asked not to be named in the article, which is not unusual in itself.
    Thanks,
    Aoife

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    Mute James Dolan
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 11:57 AM

    Thanks for the clarification on that Aoife but could you further clarify whether he had received any correspondence from SUSI whether his application was successful or not, whether they acknowledge receipt of any supporting documentation or if he has failed to supply some necessary document. I just find it hard to believe that any organisation can be so unorganised, or maybe that’s just my blind optimism.

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    Mute James Dolan
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 1:17 PM

    Well that is very worrying, my own sister is studying in Scotland next year and if something similar happened it would be a pretty big toll on the family. I hope he’s seeking legal advice because that’s really out of order tbf.

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    Mute Scrap Croke Park1
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 8:50 AM

    Omnishambles. Like everything FG/Lab have done since coming to power on a political reform promise.

    44
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    Mute OU812
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 9:46 AM

    We should be giving loans, not grants:
    http://m.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057006278

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    Mute John F
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 9:53 AM

    Be gone with your sensible input, sure why would we give loans when some people can get free money and the rest have to pay out of their own pockets and work through their studies. Sure that’s how things work in Ireland!

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    Mute Mr Jingles
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 9:54 AM

    Much simpler system but the lefties here will down vote you to death

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    Mute OU812
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 9:58 AM

    Let them. I’m bringing it to my TD.

    This makes more sense for the future of our country.

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    Mute Diarmaid Twomey
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 10:35 AM

    Lads, I would love if the government gave loans for college fees, I have just been turned down a grant even though I am on illness benefit and have no other income! But can not one of ye see how giving loans might disincentivise people from lower socio-economic backgrounds to enter college?

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    Mute James Dolan
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 10:49 AM

    @Diarmaid Absolutely, it’s the people who have the whole system set against them that would suffer yet again. Student loans should be encouraged to match the system in the U.K, but it’s a matter for the banks, and the grant should stay in place too IMO. I think in a post bailout economy the government should be able to force some more reasonable student loan terms without having to underwrite every student loan, it’d be good for the banks, good for the kids, good for the future and good for the government WIN WIN I say.

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    Mute Diarmaid Twomey
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 11:01 AM

    Absolutely James, see my issue with the people who rabble on about “cutting welfare” and stopping student grants and “lefties” is, these are the same people who see nothing wrong with companies who are worth billions getting free money from us to build THEIR factories through IDA grants!

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    Mute OU812
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 11:10 AM

    I can’t see how giving a loan would disincentivise anyone. It would be repayable over ten years at a low interest rate & would be open to everyone.

    If anything it would make it easier for lower economic groups to achieve third level.

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    Mute Diarmaid Twomey
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 11:39 AM

    How exactly would charging them make it easier on poorer people to enter 3rd level? An interesting observation!

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    Mute OU812
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 11:55 AM

    It’s repayable over 2.5 times longer than college lasts, with nothing payable while in college.

    If anything it’s more of an incentive to actually finish the course & graduate.

    Give someone something for free & they don’t put a value on it.

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    Mute Diarmaid Twomey
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 12:01 PM

    You’ll find that of all the type of individuals who end up in college that those who put least value on it is those who can actually afford it! I would imagine that the one group of people who would value college is those who can’t afford it?

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    Mute James Dolan
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 12:05 PM

    OU812 a person on the very lowest income bracket, from a disadvantaged family, class and region who’s friends or family have never been to 3rd level education but work low paying jobs already has no reason in the world to go to college when they could go straight into the workforce and earn money rather than be dependent on a student grant (and I’m pretty sure social welfare is more than a student grant as well). Tell them they get a grant isn’t even good enough to get the person into college, they need a whole range of supports and a loan is not a support in any way, it’s a liability for the disadvantaged. I do think we should have a good student loan system but it should be for the students who don’t receive enough support from either the government or their families.

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    Mute Niall C
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 11:46 AM

    I applied last July for a fees only grant, got it this June. SUSI kept refusing me saying that I hadn’t given them all documentation even though i had.

    I sent them the same documentation 3-4 times and yet they requested it again saying that I hadn’t sent it to them.

    In any other country a shambles like this would lead to the minister for Education having to resign, but, this is Ireland.

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    Mute Lyn NicAodha
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 9:03 AM

    Absolutely unbelievable the symbolic way the grant system in Ireland is being handled….. We are the laughing stock of Europe :-(

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    Mute Steve Hardy
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 9:13 AM

    Shambolic.

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    Mute Small Retort
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 10:46 AM

    “are not in our system for anything like a year”

    That’s a lie, I know people who applied in July 2012. They just want the likes of this guy and my friend to give up.

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    Mute Steve501
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 9:58 AM

    Wake up susie wake up…..

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    Mute Kevin Ross
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 11:51 AM

    I got my grant last week after 1 year of phone calls and emails, I have found emails the best way to communicate with them as you have a record of mails and have to reply to them. I am not optimistic that things will be any better this year. Prove me wrong susi

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    Mute Sean Bambi Keeling
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 12:22 PM

    The heading seems misleading, to be honest, it seems he was given a decsion which was declined so he appealed it. Also it’s a national grant system, not a international one. Should he not be applying to a UK grant agency. Don’t you also have to be liveing in Ireland 3 of 5 years to be awarded the grant, how is this possible if he’s in the UK

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    Mute Aoife Barry
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 1:51 PM

    Hi Sean, the headline is not misleading – the student has not received a decision, as the article states. Therefore he cannot appeal. He has given an informal complaint, which is not the same as an appeal.

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    Mute Shane Barry
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 1:46 PM

    get 1200 a year, which I’m delighted with, but people living in the estate beside mine get 6000 a year because they live in council houses and there parents seem better off them mostI

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    Mute Philip
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    Aug 3rd 2013, 2:30 PM

    So “reform” isnt always better

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