Abdullah Haron, a Cape religious leader, is best known for his anti-apartheid activism. He was incarcerated on 28 May 1969, which coincided with Mawlud (the Prophet’s [s] day of birth); he was held for 123 days under the Terrorism Act of 1967. By 27 September 1969, he was found dead in his Maitland police cell. The community held the view that he was mercilessly killed by the Security Branch members led by Andries ‘Spyker’ van Wyk and his henchmen. 

He was Claremont’s Al-Jamia Mosque’s Imam since 1955. As the resident Imam, he set up discussion groups that laid the foundation for the formation of the 1958 Claremont Muslim Youth Association and he, with others, went on established the community newspaper Muslim News (1960-1986).
In 2014, the Government recognized the Imam for his “exceptional contribution to raising awareness of political injustices” and it posthumously awarded him the ‘Order of Luthuli in Gold.’  And in 2022, the inquest into his death was reopened to investigate the findings of the apartheid state’s 1970 inquest that did not find anyone guilty of wrong-doing or murder.

The community awaits the verdict of the reopened inquest and judgment will be issued on 9 October 2023.