Cradock Four inquest to proceed despite De Kock's hospitalisation

The Cradock Four inquest will continue with the current sitting following a ruling by President Judge Thami Beshe in the Gqeberha High Court.

Earlier, lawyers for some apartheid security police, who are implicated in the abduction and murder of the anti-apartheid activists, requested the court to halt hearings indefinitely.

This followed confirmation that former Vlakplaas commander and notorious apartheid assassin Eugene De Kock had been hospitalised for suspected heart failure.

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This inquest was set up to establish who is liable for the deaths of the anti-apartheid activists, after two other attempts failed to uncover the full story.

De Kock was set to testify at the Cradock Four inquest in the coming days. His testimony was expected to be a replica of what he previously told the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).

Lawyers for the other persons of interest in the drawn-out case asked the Gqeberha High Court to wait for De Kock to be given the green light by his doctors to testify before other apartheid police are called to the stand.

While De Kock's lawyers insist his testimony will not differ from the evidence at the TRC, other lawyers argue that the other persons of interest could be prejudiced by testifying before knowing how De Kock could implicate them.

Judge Beshe made a clear ruling on the matter. "It is my considered view that it will be in the interest of justice for this court to continue hearing the evidence of witnesses other than Mr de Dock or in the absence or unavailability of Mr de Dock," he said.

Judge Beshe said the persons of interest will have an opportunity to respond to De Kock's testimony at a later stage, if advised so by lawyers.

It is unclear when the man dubbed "Prime Evil" will be given a clean bill of health by his doctors, allowing him to appear before the inquest.