Nozizwe Mabaso-Mhlongo’s role in the Struggle

IN TESTIMONY before the Pieter-maritzburg High Court, Nozizwe Mabaso-Mhlongo, 67, recounted her extraordinary childhood experiences as an unknowing participant in South Africa's liberation Struggle, revealing how she became a secret operative for none other than the legendary Albert Luthuli.

- BONGANI HANS

Mabaso-Mhlongo, whose parents were closely connected with the Nobel Peace Prize-winning ANC president general, shared her memories during the ongoing inquest into Luthuli’s mysterious death

She said the Struggle icon, her parents, her primary school class teacher, and an Indian shopkeeper were her handlers who used her to transport sensitive and incriminating political documents.

She read an affidavit, which she prepared five years ago. Luthuli was killed on July 21, 1967, in Stanger, north coast, in what an inquest presided over by Magistrate CI Boswell held the same year revealed was a goods train accident.

Mabaso-Mhlongo joined several witnesses whose testimony since the start of the inquest disputed the findings of Boswell. The proceedings were adjourned abruptly when witness Mahomed Manjoo, who followed Mabaso-Mhlongo, became emotional and cried.