Nearly five decades after his death in police custody, the story of anti-apartheid activist Matthews ‘Mojo’ Mabelane has returned to the public spotlight, as a new documentary revisits the unanswered questions surrounding his final moments.
Truth be Told: Room 1008, by award-winning filmmaker and researcher Enver Samuel, brought audiences together at the Trevor Huddleston Memorial Centre in Sophiatown on June 16, where memories, family testimony, and historical records reopened a painful chapter in South Africa’s past.

Mabelane (23) died in detention on February 15, 1977, after allegedly falling from the tenth floor of John Vorster Square Police Station. He had been arrested under Section 6(1) of the Terrorism Act while attempting to cross into Botswana, and was detained by the security branch of the South African Police for 25 days. Evidence claimed Mabelane had run towards an open window and fallen from the building ledge, but his family has disputed that version for decades, believing he was killed while in custody.

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His brother, Phillip Mabelane, said the family welcomed renewed efforts to uncover the truth nearly 49 years later. “I was 17 years of age when my brother was killed in 1977, right now I’m 66. We are happy because the Foundation for Human Rights is the one who is behind this, and they are helping us to crack the case.”

Phillip said further examinations of the scene challenged the official explanation of his brother’s death. He also recalled a message he believes showed Matthew feared for his life before his death. For the family, the documentary forms part of a wider search for justice for victims of unresolved apartheid-era cases.

Samuel said his motivation for creating Truth be Told: Room 1008 came from similarities between Mabelane’s case and other deaths in detention, including the Amatimo case, where a detainee also allegedly fell from the tenth floor in 1971. “The fact that these cases kept happening and no one has been held accountable for them is what attracted me to do these stories.”

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Through family archives and personal interviews, Samuel said the film aims to present Mabelane as more than just an activist, showing the person behind the historical record. He said his research revealed details about Mabelane’s personality, including his love for fashion and his sense of style – details often absent from textbooks.

The documentary’s screening on June 16, a significant date in South Africa’s history, also highlighted the importance of educating younger generations about the sacrifices made during the struggle against apartheid. Samuel said the youth should become critical thinkers and reflect on the lives lost in the fight for democracy.

For the Mabelane family, the hope remains that renewed attention and ongoing legal efforts will finally bring answers after decades of uncertainty.

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