Jail-death inquest opens

Press, 4 March 1982, Page 8

Jail-death inquest opens

NZPA-Reuter Johannesburg Am inquest opened yesterday into the death of a white trade-union official who was found hanged in his cell at Johannesburg security police headquarters. A lawyer representing the family of Neil Aggett, aged 28, asked for permission to inspect the cell where he died and to talk to people detained with him. No decision on the request was made by the Magistrate (Mr Laurens de Kock) before he adjourned the hearing until April 13 without hearing any evidence.

Dr Aggett, an official of the Food and Canning Workers’ Union whose membership is mainly black, died last month. His family have refused to accept a police statement that he committed suicide. The death of Dr Aggett, who was detained without trial last November under anti-terrorist laws, has angered South Afrian blacks and white liberals. He is the forty-sixth person, and the first white, to die while being detained since detention without trial was introduced in 1963, according to civil-rights

groups. i His family’s lawyer. ; George Bizos, sought quick I access to the security build- ’ •ng. i “If the information we i have available is correct, if I the inspection is delayed, it i would defeat the purpose,” ; he added. i Mr de Kock replied: “We j must give the police authori- i ties time to arrange alterna- ' tive accommodation for the L prisoners.” , Mr Bizos said he would i ask the Police Minister (Mr i Louis le Grange) for permis- : sion to talk to Dr Aggett’s : co-detainees.