Steve Biko Inquest Postponed to January 2026 Amidst Legal Funding Delays

Inquest into Steve Biko's Death Adjourned

The reopened inquest into the death of prominent anti-apartheid activist and Black Consciousness Movement leader, Steve Biko, has been postponed to January 30, 2026, in South Africa. The decision, made at the Eastern Cape High Court in Gqeberha, aims to facilitate further case management and finalize legal representation for individuals identified as 'persons of interest' in the case.

The postponement comes as two former police officers, Johan Beneke and Daniel Siebert, both now in their eighties, are in the process of securing state-funded legal representation. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) indicated that the funding arrangements are in their final stages of approval, with the hearing expected to commence in March 2026 once these matters are resolved.

A Legacy of Resistance and Unanswered Questions

Stephen Bantu Biko, born on December 18, 1946, was a pivotal figure in South Africa's anti-apartheid struggle. He founded the Black Consciousness Movement (BCM) in the late 1960s, advocating for the psychological empowerment and liberation of black people. Biko's activism challenged the apartheid regime, leading to his arrest on August 18, 1977, for violating a banning order.

He died in police custody on September 12, 1977, at the age of 30, from extensive brain injuries. Police initially claimed Biko sustained his injuries by hitting his head against a wall during a scuffle. The subsequent 1977 inquest accepted this account, clearing all officers of wrongdoing in what was widely condemned as a 'whitewash.'

Decades-Long Pursuit of Justice

The pursuit of justice for Biko's death has spanned decades. In 1997, during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) hearings, five former police officers involved in Biko's detention applied for amnesty. They admitted to assaulting him but maintained his death was accidental. Their applications were denied in 1999, as the TRC found their evidence contradictory and that they failed to prove a political motive for his death.

Despite the TRC's findings, no one has ever been prosecuted for Biko's death. The current reopening of the inquest, ordered by Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, was announced on September 12, 2025, 48 years after Biko's passing. The Biko family, including his son Nkosinathi Biko, has consistently supported efforts to reopen the case, expressing confidence that sufficient evidence exists for a definitive pronouncement on his murder.

The Road Ahead

The NPA has stated that the main goal of this reopened inquest is to present evidence to the court that will enable a finding on whether Biko's death was caused by any act or omission amounting to an offense by any person. This process represents a continued effort to address past atrocities and provide closure to the Biko family and South African society at large.