Steve Biko's legacy lives on (Helen Zille)

[struggle4progress]

September 09 2007 at 02:35PM

... I understood it better when he said, "The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed." ...

It was early in the third week of September 1977, when James T Kruger (we refused to call him Jimmy, because that sounded too friendly) announced that Biko had died in detention "after going on a hunger strike" ...

Gluckman gave us the evidence we required in the form of the results of the lumbar puncture which showed blood in Biko's spinal fluid - a clear sign of brain damage. On the basis of my interviews and the medical records supplied by Gluckman we were able to run a lead story headlined "No sign of hunger strike - Biko doctors", in which we reported that brain damage was the likely cause of death.

All hell broke loose. Kruger let us know he intended to ban the Rand Daily Mail ...

http://www.thestar.co.za/?fSectionId=&fArticleId=vn20070909111739807C780534

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