The African National Congress (ANC) has welcomed the historic Chief Albert Luthuli court judgement that confirmed the apartheid police brutally killed the anti-apartheid activist in 1967.
The party expressed this in a statement, released on 30 October 2025.
The statement follows the recent KwaZulu-Natal High Court ruling to overturn the claim that Luthuli died from a train accident.
CHIEF ALBERT LUTHULI COURT JUDGEMENT: A VICTORY FOR TRUTH AND JUSTICE
The presiding Judge, Nompumelelo Hadebe, found that oral and documentary evidence clearly refuted the apartheid-era inquest.
The ANC says the ruling restores dignity to one of South Africa’s greatest sons.
The party believes that the ruling honours all who suffered under apartheid brutality.
Moreover, it described the judgment as a moral victory for Luthuli’s family, the liberation movement, and all South Africans who value justice and truth.
Additionally, the party says that Chief Luthuli was indeed a victim of state-sanctioned murder during apartheid’s darkest years.
REMEMBERING A LEGACY OF NON-VIOLENT RESISTANCE
Chief Albert Luthuli served as the ANC President-General from 1952 until his death.
He led the movement through defining moments, such as the Defiance Campaign and the drafting of the Freedom Charter.
He also promoted unity, democracy, and non-violence to achieve freedom, earning him a Nobel Peace Prize.
Luthuli was the first African recipient of the prize.
The party says his leadership continues to inspire activists today.
It claims that Luthuli’s leadership reminds South Africans that “the road to freedom is via the cross,” a principle Luthuli lived and died for.
ANC WELCOMES JUDGMENT: RENEWED COMMITMENT TO DEMOCRACY AND UNITY
The ANC also called on all citizens to reflect on Chief Albert Luthuli’s court judgement.
It urged people to treat it as a moment of national healing.
The party further believes that ruling not only restores historical integrity but also strengthens South Africa’s collective memory.
“As the movement that Chief Luthuli once led, the ANC recommits itself to defending the values he lived and died for: freedom, equality, peace, and justice,” said the ANC’s spokesperson, Mahlengi Bhengu.
