Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

Inquest into Deedat deaths in house fire almost completed

ByAfriForum 17/02/202103/09/2021

Adv. Gerrie Nel, Head of AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit, cross-examined another fire expert on 15 and 16 February 2021 in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court in the case of the deaths of Suraya Deedat and her four children in 2011. The expert was appointed by the legal team of the person of interest in the inquest, Naeem Deedat – Suraya’s husband and the only family member who survived the house fire.

Anina Burger, a fire expert at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) was appointed in 2011 by an insurance company to compile a report on the cause of the fire, in order for the company to decide whether the claim should be paid out. Her report subsequently supported the settlement of the claim. Despite this, she now also delivered expert testimony on behalf of Naheem on what happened on the night of the fire.

Adv. Nel’s cross-examination of Burger indicated that the insurance report potentially contained some potential prejudices and that some of the witnesses’ versions were modified to support the person of interest’s version of that evening. During cross-examination it also appeared that Burger’s report contained selective information and could therefore not be considered as objective.

The inquest will resume on 29 June to 1 July 2021 when Burger’s cross-examination will continue.