TIME’S UP: Judge orders Department of Defence to explain ongoing ‘secrecy’ of Cradock Four documentation (opens original article in a new tab)

A South African judge has ordered the Department of Defence to explain why it has not declassified documents related to the 1985 murders of the Cradock Four, with the department citing national security concerns.

• Judge orders former acting Secretary of Defence to explain why she should not be held in contempt for not declassifying Cradock Four murder documents.
• Department of Defence claims declassifying documents would risk national security, but families argue it is a refusal to disclose apartheid-era information.
• Third inquest into the 1985 murders faces delays due to lack of documentation, with families seeking truth and accountability.