Albert Luthuli was killed because he brought worldwide attention to apartheid - Radebe

INKOSI Albert Luthuli was killed because the apartheid government hated him for radicalising and militarising the liberation struggle by adding the armed wing, Umkhonto Wesizwe to the ANC.

- BONGANI HANS

Testifying at the Pietermaritzburg High Court yesterday during the inquest into the death of the Nobel Peace Prize winner, ANC veteran Jeff Radebe, who is now the party convenor in KwaZulu-Natal, said that apartheid had been unsuccessful in sabotaging the struggle through incarcerating Luthuli, Nelson Mandela and many others.

"No one in the ANC and the freedom-loving people believed the fictional story of a train accident," said Radebe.

Shortly after Luthuli’s death, an inquest was held and concluded that Luthuli was hit by a train. It was concluded that he may have crossed the railway line without noticing the goods train approaching, or he may have been suicidal.

However, Radebe said Luthuli’s death was the first of many murders of struggle leaders.

"This cold-blooded killing of president Luthuli marked the beginning of acts of assassination of liberation movement leaders.

"It was followed by the Frelimo president Eduardo Chivambo Mondlane in 1969 and Amílcar Cabral in Guinea-Bissau in 1973.