The family of anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko has criticised delays in the reopened inquest into his death, after proceedings at the Gqeberha High Court were dominated by a dispute over legal funding.
Biko’s family appeared in court on Monday expecting the hearings to begin, but much of the day was instead spent determining who would cover the legal costs of his widow, Nontsikelelo Biko, who is expected to testify during the proceedings.
The inquest was reopened in September last year, almost five decades after Biko died from severe injuries sustained while in police custody in 1977.
Biko Inquest Delayed Over Legal Aid Funding
The court heard hours of evidence from an executive of Legal Aid South Africa before it was eventually confirmed that the Department of Justice had agreed to pay for Nontsikelelo Biko’s legal representation.
Legal Aid South Africa had previously informed the court that it did not have the funds to pay for her lawyer.
[Steve Biko Inquest Set To Resume In Gqeberha Nearly 50 Years After His Death]
The organisation also told the court that Biko’s widow did not meet its eligibility requirements for legal aid under its funding criteria.
The court questioned whether that approach could be applied narrowly in a matter of this nature, saying legal representation had to be considered within the context of the case.
Steve Biko’s Family Calls For Funding Issue To Be Resolved
Biko’s son, Nkosinathi, said the question of who would fund his mother’s legal representation should have been settled before the family arrived at court for the inquest.
The funding dispute meant the proceedings did not get off to the start the family had expected.
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With the issue now resolved, the first witness is expected to take the stand on Tuesday as the reopened inquest moves into its evidence phase.
The proceedings come nearly 50 years after Biko’s death, with the Gqeberha High Court tasked with examining the circumstances surrounding his death in police custody.
