Griffiths Mxenge killers request SAPS to fund legal defence! The two surviving men found guilty of murdering anti-apartheid lawyer Griffiths Mxenge have asked the South African Police Service (SAPS) to fund their legal defence in a reopened inquest into the 1981 killing.
On Monday, the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg began a fresh inquest into Mxenge’s death. The prominent human rights lawyer was brutally murdered in 1981, stabbed 45 times by members of the apartheid police force.
Griffiths Mxenge killers
Three men — Butana Nofemela, David Tshikalange, and Dirk Coetzee — were convicted of Mxenge’s killing 28 years ago. However, before sentencing, all three were granted amnesty by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
During Monday’s proceedings, the court was informed that Coetzee has since passed away, while Nofemela and Tshikalange are now retired. Both men have requested that SAPS cover their legal costs, citing their employment with the police at the time of the murder.
The court heard that a formal application has been submitted to SAPS for financial assistance. A decision on the matter is still pending.
The judge postponed the inquest to 17 June 2025, allowing time for SAPS to respond.
The reopened inquest is part of renewed efforts to address unresolved apartheid-era crimes and ensure full accountability, despite the TRC process.