Seeking Truth in the Highgate Hotel Massacre
On 11 August 2025, the inquest into the 1 May 1993 Highgate Hotel Massacre resumed at the Special Tribunal in East London. This follows earlier sittings in January and March and is another step in uncovering the truth behind an attack that left five people dead and seven injured.
For survivors Neville Beling and Karl Weber, and Lyndene Page, sister of victim Deon Harris, the proceedings are the culmination of decades of persistence. Represented by the Foundation for Human Rights and Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, they have fought for answers in the face of years of silence.
Their resilience has spurred action: after public and legal advocacy, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) initiated the formal inquest in 2024.
Why This Matters Today
For the ATJRC, the Highgate inquest embodies the core mission of transitional justice:
- Honouring Victims and Survivors: It spotlights the tireless efforts of those who refuse to let grief become silence.
- Correcting Historical Record: Revisiting the facts restores dignity and challenges misleading narratives.
- Enabling Accountability: Even without convictions, the pursuit of truth exerts moral pressure and demands institutional transparency.
- Informing Future Mechanisms: Lessons learned here reinforce the need for prompt, unbiased, and survivor-centered processes in transitional societies.
It has confirmed that the final sitting will be held from 1–5 September 2025. As the inquest now draws to its close, the presiding judge has appealed for anyone with credible information about the 1993 attack to come forward. This call is open to witnesses, community members, or anyone who may hold details that could help the court.
Information can be shared with:
- Captain Vaughn Peterson (Investigating Officer): PetersonVW@saps.gov.za
- Paige Winfield (Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr): paige.winfield@cdhlegal.com / 011 562 1763
For the ATJRC, the Highgate inquest is a powerful reminder of how truth-telling honours victims, restores dignity, and strengthens the foundations of justice.
Read more about the case here.
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![[Left to right, at the back]: Lee Sungju, Asemahle Tshoni, Anastasia Solomons, Sesetu Holomisa, A/Professor Helen Scanlon, Mirjam Ellemers, Stephanie Wild. [Left to right sitting]: Dr Gertrude Fester, Dr Saghar Shahidi-Birjandian, Professor Phil Clark](https://atjc.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Launch-of-Dr-Saghar-Shahidi-Birjandian-PhD.-Shahidi-Birjandians-co-edited-volume-3.jpeg)
ATJRC’s Professor Helen Scanlon and the Department of Politics at the University of Cape Town hosted a seminar on 9 September 2026, marking the launch of Dr Saghar Shahidi-Birjandian, PhD. Shahidi-Birjandian’s co-edited volume, Intergenerational Survivors of Genocide and Mass Atrocities: Lived Experiences of Knowledge Providers.
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