Lukhanyo Calata and his family are still waiting for justice, almost 35 years after his father was murdered by apartheid agents.
Fort Calata was one of the men now known as the Cradock Four, four anti-apartheid activists from Eastern Cape who were killed by apartheid forces in 1985.
To this day, no one has been prosecuted for the brutal murders of Fort Calata, Matthew Goniwe, Sparrow Mkhonto and Sicelo Mhlauli.
Lukhanyo says apartheid perpetrators, including FW de Klerk, have not been held responsible for the role they played in atrocities committed during the apartheid regime.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) boss advocate Shamila Batohi has made a commitment to take on more apartheid-era cases, a move Lukhanyo describes as “a positive step”.
RELATED: Lukhanyo Calata: ANC must prosecute Cradock 4 killers or my father died in vain
The statements last week by the NDPP are very encouraging.
— Lukhanyo Calata, journalist and author
De Klerk’s hands are dripping with my father’s blood. This ANC government owes us prosecutions.
— Lukhanyo Calata, journalist and author
We have been waiting for some form of justice for 35 years.
— Lukhanyo Calata, journalist and author
His father’s death is among about 300 cases that were referred for further investigation and possible prosecution to the NPA by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
The TRC carried out its hearings between 1995 and 1999.
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But it’s understood that political interference has been part of the reason the TRC cases were not pursued.
Lukhanyo believes that the governing party may have been implicated in some criminal operations during apartheid, resulting in its reluctance to re-open cases.
He says the governing party has turned its back on his father’s contribution to the ANC and the liberation of South Africa.
For the past 25 years, under the governance of the ANC, we have seen very little progress with regard to any of the 300 and odd cases that were handed over to the ANC by the TRC.
— Lukhanyo Calata, Journalist and author
They were trying to make sure that there were no steps being taken to prosecute or investigate some of the TRC-related cases.
— Lukhanyo Calata, Journalist and author
For a number of years, there has been active interference from the ANC government in making sure that these cases are prosecuted.
— Lukhanyo Calata, Journalist and author
Because now it means that comrades will have to investigate and prosecute comrades. The ANC decided it’s just not going to prosecute anybody.
— Lukhanyo Calata, Journalist and author
Listen to the heart-felt discussion between Lukhanyo Calata and Melanie Rice:
This article first appeared on CapeTalk : Son of slain Cradock Four activist implicates FW de Klerk in father’s murder
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Article source: http://www.702.co.za/articles/368107/son-of-slain-cradock-four-activist-implicates-fw-de-klerk-in-father-s-murder