Johannesburg – Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has welcomed the decision by Judge Nompumelelo Hadebe to overturn the original finding of accidental death in the reopened inquest into the passing of Chief Albert Luthuli.
The Minister said she welcomes the setting aside of the 1967 inquest ruling, which had concluded that Chief Luthuli died after being struck by a goods train.
Nearly six decades after the Stanger Magistrate’s Court concluded that there was no evidence of criminal culpability on the part of any South African Railways personnel or any other individual, the inquest finding was overturned on Thursday, 30 October 2025.
Judge Hadebe presiding over the fresh inquest in the Pietermaritzburg High Court overturned the original finding of accidental death of Chief Luthuli, who was President General of the African National Congress (ANC).
She said simulations by experts in the reopened inquest proved that the death of the Nobel Peace laureate was, in fact, a murder.
Chief Luthuli was beaten to death by apartheid police, working in conjunction with employees from the then South African Railway Company.
Chief Luthuli was murdered seven years after he was awarded the 1960 Nobel Peace Prize for his role as the leader of the non-violent struggle against apartheid.
Judge Hadebe said oral and documentary evidence presented during the reopened inquest does not support the 1976 inquest findings
“This court was persuaded to overturn the 1967 inquest with respect to the death of Chief Luthuli. The overturning of that ruling would amount to a just verdict,” said Judge Hadebe.
However, she lamented that people responsible for Luthuli’s death cannot be brought to justice as they have either died or cannot be found by the police.
Minister Kubayi commended the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for its work in this matter, which presented compelling evidence that challenged the apartheid-era 1967 finding that Chief Luthuli’s death was an accident, instead arguing that it was a murder.
The Minister said that this outcome demonstrates “our continued commitment to uncovering the truth and ensuring that justice is served”, even in matters that date back decades.
“The courage and persistence of families who have pursued these cases, together with the dedication of institutions like the NPA, deserve our utmost respect,” said Minister Kubayi.
She added that this decision affirms the justice sector’s ongoing efforts to ensure that South Africans, and all those seeking justice, receive it, and that families affected by historical injustices can finally find closure.
The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development remains committed to supporting processes that advance truth, accountability, and justice for victims and their families.
The ANC has also welcomed the outcome of the inquest, saying that the Pietermaritzburg High Court ruling corrected a “long-standing distortion of history” by overturning the apartheid-era inquest that claimed Luthuli died after being struck by a goods train.
Meanwhile, the family of Chief Luthuli has indicated that they are studying the inquest’s outcome before deciding on the way forward.
“More than that… [the outcome] ascribes liability to certain persons who, through their acts and or omissions, became complicit in the cover-up of the death of Chief Albert Luthuli,” said family spokesperson Sandile Luthuli.
