The Biko Inquest: ‘We carry our history with us’ - The road from liberation to disillusionment by Ashwin Desai

Origin date: 10 September 2026
Updated: 15 Sep 2026

Steve Biko's funeral on September 25, 1977 - Photo from The Mercury

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Summary

Reflecting on detention during apartheid and Steve Biko’s enduring influence, Ashwin Desai connects the past to anxieties about corruption, political radicalism and South Africa’s democratic future.

How we know this

01Desai, A. (2026). The Biko Inquest: ‘We carry our history with us’ The road from liberation to disillusionment, from The Mercury, [online]. Available at https://themercury.co.za/opinion/httpscosmos-dot-iol-prodappspotcommercuryopinion2026-09-10-the-biko-inquest-we-carry-our-history-with-us/. Accessed on 11 September 2026

Last updated · 15 Sep 2026

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2026, September 12). The Biko Inquest: ‘We carry our history with us’ - The road from liberation to disillusionment by Ashwin Desai. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/R-0153662

South African History Online (2026) 'The Biko Inquest: ‘We carry our history with us’ - The road from liberation to disillusionment by Ashwin Desai', South African History Online, 12 September. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/R-0153662 (Accessed: 29 October 2026).

South African History Online, The Biko Inquest: ‘We carry our history with us’ - The road from liberation to disillusionment by Ashwin Desai [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/R-0153662, (accessed 29 October 2026).

"The Biko Inquest: ‘We carry our history with us’ - The road from liberation to disillusionment by Ashwin Desai." South African History Online, 12 Sept. 2026, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/R-0153662. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

South African History Online. "The Biko Inquest: ‘We carry our history with us’ - The road from liberation to disillusionment by Ashwin Desai." South African History Online. September 12, 2026. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/R-0153662.