Dental class mates didn’t believe Haffejee suicide claim

A FORMER university friend of late apartheid activist Dr Hoosen Haffejee yesterday told an inquest into his death that students and staff at the Government Dental College and Hospital Nagpur in India described him as a man with a great heart and mind who fought the good fight.

Dr Vinay Hazarey, one of India’s most renowned dental surgeons, told Judge ZP Nkosi of the Pietermaritzburg High Court that his recollections of Haffejee were of his courage and bravery, which he had shown in his various leadership roles while at the Dental College and Hospital Nagpur.

He said he had witnessed Haffejee’s courage first-hand during a student strike, which resulted from dental students not having a hostel at the time. As part of his student union activities, Haffejee led the strike.

The 68-year-old Hazarey, who holds a Master’s degree in Dental Surgery in Oral Pathology, said he first met Haffejee in 1971 and that Haffejee was a class behind him.

Hazarey said Haffejee, who had stayed at the dental college until 1976, had also been the college’s cultural secretary and student union president.

He said he had learnt of Haffejee’s death through a newspaper around August 4 or 5, 1977, while studying for his Master’s degree.

“I still remember the title which said that Dr Haffejee was the 22nd person to die in custody and we were all shattered,” Hazarey said.

He said no one in the college community believed Haffejee had committed suicide.

He also said studying the photos of Haffejee’s body were horrifying.

“I could not believe that there were almost 50 to 60 wounds in another picture and I especially remember that there were certain blows and bruises on the right side of the face of Dr Haffejee’s body,” Hazarey said.