Ahmed Timol, a teacher from Roodepoort, was a student activist and later became a member of the South African Communist Party. He went to London in 1967, where he took up a teaching post, supporting his family in South Africa. He also met with former comrades and friends from the Communist Party and the ANC who selected Ahmed Timol to attend the International Lenin School in Moscow from February to October 1969. Back in London, and before leaving to go back to South Africa, he received training in underground political work. He returned to South Africa in February 1970, resuming his teaching post in Roodepoort. Ahmed Timol was arrested at a roadblock in October 1971, together with Salim Essop, and subsequently taken to the John Vorster Square police station. He was severly tortured by the security police and died in police custody on the 27 October 1971, by falling from the 10th floor to his death. An Inquest was opened on 1 December 1971 at the Johannesburg Magistrate by J.J.L. de Villiers, with D.W. Rothwell and A.L.T. Beukes as Public Prosecutors, and Advocate I.A. Maisels QC and Advocate G. Bizos, and instructing attorneys M.S.H. Cachalia and M.A. Loonat presenting the Timol family. The hearing had to be adjourned due to Advocate Maisels request to access documents in the case. After lengthy interventions hearings were resumed in April 1972. The post mortem was carried out by the pathologist Dr Nicolaas Schepers, assisted by Dr J. Gluckman at the request of the Timol family. The Magistrate announced his findings on the 22 June 1972, saying that Ahmed Timol had committed suicide whilst in police custody, and that nobody was to be blamed for his death.
Letters and telegrams testifying to the satisfactory service of Dr. Sieveking, who was in charge of the hospital at Tuli and subsequently employed as medical officer on the Kimberley / Vryburg railway line.
Letter written from Dartmoor to his brother. Contains a long description of Napoleon whom the writer saw 'for a full half an hour at a short distance'.
Memorial to Lord John Russell (Colonial Secretary, Great Britain) from inhabitants of the Cape of Good Hope, urging that revenue received from the sale of waste lands in the Colony be diverted to the transportation of emigrants from the United Kingdom.
Letter written to the Secretary to the Government, requesting permission to hold a public meeting on the subject of alterations in the political institutions of the Colony.
Handwritten letter from Rev. M. Borcherds, 29 Sep. 1829, Cape Town to Dr. De Wet, outlining procedure for opening of College; Report by N. Fairbairn and De Wet on the state of the South African College, 5p. Ms; Address by De Wet to the South African College complaining of 'the exorbitant salaries of some of our civil functionaries and the close system of government' and criticising the Government for misapplying funds collected for educational purposes, 20p. Ms; ALS from General Wynyard 14 Dec. 1859 to the Council of Directors suggesting that 'some one more worthy' should award the prizes. 2p.
