Cape Town – Exactly 50 years to the day anti-apartheid martyr Imam Abdullah Haron was laid to rest, his widow, Galiema Sadan-Haron, was buried by his side at the Mowbray Muslim Cemetery in Salt River yesterday.
Hundreds of people paid their respects to the Haron family in a procession through the streets of Athlone and Crawford after Galiema, 93, died in her sleep peacefully yesterday, just before morning prayers.
She was buried with her husband in his grave, which was bestowed provincial heritage status just last week.
The devoted wife of the anti-apartheid Muslim cleric and editor of the anti-apartheid Muslim News newspaper is survived by their three children, Shamela Shamis, Muhammad Haron and Fatima Haron-Masoet, their nine grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa, who visited the family to convey the government’s condolences, said it was fate that 50 years ago the nation buried Imam Haron and on the very same day saw the passing and burial of Galiema, whom Mthethwa described as a “pillar” of what the Imam stood for.
“This family was very important in the Struggle for liberation. The very fact that the imam endured suffering and torture for 123 days shows you the resilience of the person and their contributions to the country will never be forgotten,” said Mthethwa.
Galiema and the imam were married on March 15, 1950. She supported the cleric until his arrest by security police at their Repulse Road, Athlone, home on May 28, 1969.
The Imam was held incommunicado for 123 days at various police stations but mostly at the Cape Town Central police station, then known as Caledon Square police station, where he was interrogated, beaten and tortured, until his death on September 27, 1969.
Authorities claimed that the Imam had “fallen down the staircase” at the time.
Video: Ian Landsberg / African News Agency (ANA)
It was reported that about 40 000 people as well as religious and Struggle leaders attended the imam’s funeral.
The couple’s youngest daughter, Fatima Masoet-Haron, said their mother had been bedridden for a long time and was prepared for this eventuality.
Masoet-Haron said she held out until yesterday to return to her husband on the day he was laid to rest 50 years ago.
Their son Muhammad said Galiema’s passing, mere days after their father's grave site received heritage status, was fitting.
“A year ago we were thinking about undertaking this process and by the efforts of the Imam Haron Foundation and other role-players, the Western Cape government sanctioned that our father's grave be declared a heritage site.
"For us as a family it feels fitting that our parents for their sacrifices be together in a grave that has obtained this status,” said Muhammad.
According to Imam Haron Foundation chairperson Cassiem Khan, the foundation has through its lawyers prepared submissions to the provincial director of public prosecutions and National Prosecuting Authority head advocate Shamila Batohi to reopen an inquest into the imam's death. Their evidence includes a forensic report on his death.
Khan said as part of their #Imam123Days campaign commemorating the 50th anniversary of the imam's martyrdom, they envisioned an apex event coinciding yesterday, but their plans could not come together and they now understood why.
“At the imam’s funeral, security police demanded that he be buried in an unmarked grave with other John Does and criminals. Had it not been for the actions of supporters who misled them, would not have been buried at the entrance to the graveyard.
"It was then feared that the police would desecrate the imam's grave and move him but call it divine meeting dissidence, tremors occurred that night and scared them off,” said Khan.
ANC MP Faiez Jacobs said Galiema was a wife, mother and comrade to be admired, respected and appreciated.
Jacobs said he joined the call of fellow MP, former provincial head of the Department of Justice, advocate Hishaam Mohamed, for the inquest into the imam's death to be reopened.