New evidence emerges in Albert Luthuli's death

HAD Inkosi Albert Luthuli been hit by a train, he would have died on impact as his head would have been crushed beyond recognition, and his right arm would have been amputated from the shoulder.

- BONGANI HANS

This was the testimony of an old-fashioned steam train expert, Lesley Labuschagne, on Wednesday at the ongoing inquest into the death of Nobel Peace Prize winner and ANC President-General, on July 21, 1967.

Labuschagne's testimony took an interesting step in proving that an initial inquest that was held shortly after Luthuli succumbed to death, soon after being brought to Stanger Hospital in a partially unconscious state, was marred by the fabrication of facts to protect his killers, who were believed to be working for the apartheid system.

On several occasions during his daylong testimony, Labuschagne told Judge Qondeni Radebe, who is presiding over the inquest, that the story that Luthuli was hit by the train was far-fetched.

He said in his 28 years of experience working with steam trains, especially the 15CA Class, it was highly unlikely that Luthuli would have survived a second after the impact of a train running at a speed of 40 kilometres per hour.