Inquest into Albert Luthuli's death: A witness recounts the final moments at Stanger Hospital

A former hospital clerk who saw Inkosi Albert Luthuli being brought into Stanger Hospital shortly before he succumbed to his injuries, recalled this week how he recognised the face of the Struggle hero. 

Mohamed Manjoo said that on realising that it was Luthuli who had just been brought in by an ambulance, he immediately alerted the hospital staff, who jumped into action. 

He said that soon after the news of the historical death, he called an editor of the Sunday Tribune and ANC officials. 

Manjoo, 81, grew up in Stanger before relocating to Johannesburg, where he is currently living. At the time of Luthuli’s death, he worked as the hospital outpatient clerk. 

Manjoo became emotional and cried, leading to the adjournment of the proceeding on Tuesday. He was the third witness to testify at the Pietermaritzburg High Court, where the inquest into Luthuli’s death is being held, to speak about a personal encounter and direct communication with the Nobel Peace Prize winner, who died on July 21, 1967. 

Others were Nozizwe Mabaso-Mhlongo, 67, who as a child lived with her parents at a shack near Luthuli’s Nonhlevu general dealers, and Luthuli’s daughter-in-law, Wilhelmina May Luthuli, 77. 

An initial inquiry, which was presided over by Magistrate CI Boswell of the Stanger Magistrate’s Court at the time, concluded in 1967 that the ANC president-general was hit by a train and ruled out political motive.

The inquest was initiated by the National Prosecuting Authority to prove that Luthuli was killed by apartheid operatives because of his political activities. 

Manjoo, who was 24 years old when Luthuli was brought in on a stretcher at the hospital, stated that the hospital incorrectly recorded that Luthuli was brought in by an ambulance driver named Peter Papayya; in fact, the driver was Zwane, whose first name he could not recall.

He said that after he had relocated to Johannesburg, he learnt that there was a book called “In the Shadow of Chief Albert Luthuli: Reflections of Goolam Suleman” by Logan Naidoo that was to be published.

He said he offered to edit the book using his encounter with Luthuli.  

“In the book, it is mentioned that Peter Papayya was an ambulance driver, which is incorrect to the best of my knowledge.

“Mr Peter Papayya was the transport superintendent for ambulance drivers, and on the day of the incident, he did not drive an ambulance, but Mr Zwane did, together with his assistant, whose name I have forgotten. 

“The incorrect information was never corrected,” he said. 

Manjoo said on the day, he received a call from the Groutville train station master requesting an ambulance for a native who had been “knocked down by a train”.

“I immediately contacted the transport manager. About an hour later, the ambulance (with Zwane the driver) brought the ‘patient in on a trolley’.”

He said he noticed that the victim, who seemed to be in pain, was moving his hands in the air and turning his head from side to side. 

Manjoo said he stared at the victim, who was waiting in front of him for a while to be inspected by a nurse.

“I noticed that the patient looked very much like Nkosi (Luthuli).”

He said after he had been taken to a ward, he phoned Luthuli’s close companion in the ANC, Goolam Hajee Suleman, Luthuli’s family members, and a Sunday Tribune editor.    

He said when it was confirmed that the patient was an internationally acclaimed peace award winner, “the hospital burst into action”. 

He said on normal days, when the hospital was not busy with emergencies, outpatients’ doctors would take an extended lunch break, and the hospital superintendent would only come in for some inspection of patients.

“However, this time, not only was the superintendent (Dr Gregerson) in the consulting room, but Dr G Misra (on call and the district surgeon) also,” said Manjoo.

He said the hospital treated Luthuli with discrimination compared to white patients, who would be immediately transferred to Addington Hospital in Durban if their condition was serious and required hospitalisation. 

“The team battled with him for over two hours before Dr Misra came out to inform everyone that ‘The Chief was no more!”

Manjoo said he was able to notice that the patient on the trolley was Luthuli because during his high school years, he became acquainted with him through the parents of his friend, who was also his classmate Yusus Mahomed, whose father EV Mahomed was “a committed Communist and very close to senior ANC officials”. 

He said Luthuli would often visit the Mahomed family, whom he (Manjoo) also frequented.

Through his close relationship with the Mahomeds, he was introduced to the ANC Youth League.  

“I engaged in discussions a few times with both the individuals (Nkosi and EV) and was given a copy of ‘Introduction to Philosophy’, which I read avidly,” he said.

Manjoo said he also told Luthuli about his achievements as a speech writer who performed well in school competitions. 

He stated that as the relationship grew stronger, he would use his father’s car to drive Luthuli around, avoiding being detected by the apartheid special agents. 

He said that through his association with the ANC at a young age, he would be engaged in the Free Mandela campaign in Stanger. 

However, after he was employed at the hospital, the political activities took a back seat. 

He said he knew Luthuli as a person with diabetes and who suffered from high blood pressure and who would sometimes feel dizzy, and “in my initial reaction (Luthuli’s passing away), I thought it was a distinct possibility that Nkosi suffered one of those bouts of dizziness.”

“That gust probably would have made him slip, or lose his balance, and fall into the path of the train.”

He said he observed that Luthuli was neither disfigured nor bleeding profusely from multiple external injuries, and was semi-conscious and moving his hands and turning his head.

“The inference is: the train must have ‘nicked’ him and thrown him back onto the side of the track. 

The inquest would continue on Monday.

bongani.hans@inl.co.za