Luthuli 'assault' eyewitness to take witness stand on Monday

The reopened inquest into the death of ANC president-general Chief Albert Luthuli heard evidence his family was forced to flee their house in 1970 due to constant harassment by the special branch.

His daughter Dr Albertina Luthuli, 93, told the Pietermaritzburg high court on Wednesday the family went into hiding from 1970 and returned home in 1991.

She said the abuse by the special branch continued even after her father died in 1967.

“Members of the special branch continued to harass us even though our father had died which forced the family to go into hiding,” she said.

Albertina, who was on the witness stand for three days, finished her evidence on Wednesday. She said the family had believed her father was killed by someone on a train.

This contextualised evidence by Bafi Mdletshe, who told the court last week his cousin Thembi Mnyandu saw two white men assaulting Luthuli on July 21 1967, the day he died.

Mnyandu, who disappeared after witnessing the assault, is expected to take the witness stand on Monday when the inquest resumes.

On Tuesday the court heard evidence that Luthuli had a hideout underneath the foundation of his Groutville house. Luthuli used this secret place to hide from the special branch.

Albertina told the court the hideout was also used to keep her father's important documents.

The initial inquest conducted in 1967 concluded that Luthuli died after he was struck by a goods train, a claim his family is disputing.

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