The Minister of Justice, Police and Prisons, Jimmy Kruger, received a report of a police investigation into Steve Biko’s death

Updated: 30 Sep 2019

The Minister of Justice, Police and Prisons, Jimmy Kruger, received a report of a police investigation into Steve Biko's death as well as a post-mortem report submitted to the Attorney General of the Transvaal, signed by Professor Johan Loubser, Chief State Pathologist, Professor I.W. Simpson (University of Pretoria) and Jonathan Gluckman, pathologist appointed by the Biko family, all of whose findings were unanimous. Death had been caused by extensive brain damage. Biko had sustained at least a dozen injuries in the period of eight days and up to twelve hours before his death. The report came after world governments, including the United States of America and Britain, condemned the South African police service and detention practices and laws. The two countries demanded that an international inquest should be opened to investigate the true cause of Biko's death.

How we know this

01Kalley, J.A, Schoeman, E.E and Andor, L.E, (1999), Southern African Political History A Chronology of Key Events from Independece to 1997, (Greenwood Press), p.431
02Amandla Publishers, The Inquest into Steve Biko's death and His funeral, from Amandla, [online] Available at https://amandlapublishers.co.za [Accessed 14 November 2012]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). The Minister of Justice, Police and Prisons, Jimmy Kruger, received a report of a police investigation into Steve Biko’s death. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012328

South African History Online (2011) 'The Minister of Justice, Police and Prisons, Jimmy Kruger, received a report of a police investigation into Steve Biko’s death', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012328 (Accessed: 24 October 2026).

South African History Online, The Minister of Justice, Police and Prisons, Jimmy Kruger, received a report of a police investigation into Steve Biko’s death [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012328, (accessed 24 October 2026).

"The Minister of Justice, Police and Prisons, Jimmy Kruger, received a report of a police investigation into Steve Biko’s death." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012328. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

South African History Online. "The Minister of Justice, Police and Prisons, Jimmy Kruger, received a report of a police investigation into Steve Biko’s death." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012328.