Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola has asked the Western Cape judge president to designate a judge to reopen the inquest into the death of anti-apartheid activist, Imam Abdullah Haron.

The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development announced this in a statement on Tuesday. 

Haron died in police detention on 27 September 1969 after he was held incommunicado for 122 days.

The security branch detained him in terms of Section 6 of the Terrorism Act and he died at Caledon Square police station in Cape Town.

The apartheid regime held an inquest in 1970, and the findings were primarily based on reports from medical experts and police witnesses, the department said.

The renewed investigation will consider expert reports from a state pathologist, an aeronautical engineer and a trajectory expert, who will provide a new perspective into the probable cause of Haron's death, according to the department.

The department said Lamola's decision in terms of Section 17A of the Inquest Act No. 58 of 1959, follows a National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) application for the reopening of the inquest to help it determine whether the original court finding that Haron died as a result of falling down stairs was correct.

"We must do all we can to ensure that justice prevails, no matter how long it takes," Lamola said.