A huge explosion which injured 70 people in July 1987 and was blamed on `ANC terrorists’ was almost certainly the work of the police. Rehana Rossouw reports
A bomb which former state president PW Botha described in July 1987 as a “callous act committed by terrorists under the godless control of criminals” was almost certainly the work of the police.
This is revealed in a letter to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission from a lawyer inquiring about amnesty for his 22 policemen clients. Some of the incidents the letter lists as covered by indemnity include horrific acts of urban terror.
And investigators presently unravelling the dirty tricks of the former government say there are many more acts of terrorism blamed on the African National Congress which were committed by the security forces, in particular by the police.
“White South Africans are in for a terrible shock; they are going to have to rethink much of their recent history,” one investigator said this week.
Minutes after a massive explosion at the South African Defence Force command centre at Joubert Park on 30 July 1987 which injured 70 people, including five soldiers, the National Party government placed the blame on the ANC.
Then-state president PW Botha was widely reported in the media hysterically condemning the bombing as a “dastardly and callous act committed by terrorists under the control of godless criminals”. Thenminister of law and order Adriaan Vlok also immediately blamed the ANC.
The Joubert Park bomb was placed in a truck and left a crater more than 2m in diameter after it exploded. Shock waves blew out windows in buildings four blocks away.
It came at the time when Frederik van Zyl Slabbert was in Dakar, Senegal, meeting the ANC. Botha used the blast to appeal to all South Africans to “stand together against these forces of evil and not to associate with them in any way whatsoever”.
Advocate Jan Wagener wrote to the truth commission last week on behalf of 22 clients. He listed 18 incidents which would be dealt with in their amnesty applications.
The list includes the deaths of Piet Ntuli in KwaNdebele in 1986 and of lawyer Bheki Mlangeni in 1991. The disappearance of the three Port Elizabeth acitivists known as the “Pebco three” is also listed.
Other deaths in-clude Brian Nqulunga in 1990; Moses Nthelang at Vlakplaas in 1991; Japie Ma-ponya, an ANC member, at Mafikeng in 1985; nine ANC members in KwaNdebele in 1988; nine ANC members in Bophuthatswana in 1988; Joe Jele in 1986; a policeman and his wife at Hammanskraal in 1988; Jeffrey Sibiya in Boph-uthatswana in 1987; Harold Sefola; Andrew Makupe and Jackson Maake.
The list also includes “persons injured and killed during attacks on the homes of members of the South African Police due to faulty hand-grenades and a limpet mine”.
Explosions at the ANC offices in London are included, as well as explosions in Bophuthatswana, Mamelodi, Atteridgeville and Pienaarsrivier in 1987.
Wagener says in his letter that indemnity was granted during 1994 to 3 500 members and ex-members of the police in terms of the Indemnity Act of 1990.
“Although this indemnity has been questioned by certain people, including the present minister of justice, we are of the view that it is legally sound and valid,” he wrote. “I will in due course provide you with full particulars in this regard and, if necessary, motivate the said validity.
“Should you, however, after considering all the facts, come to the conclusion that the indemnity referred to cannot be recognised by you, my clients who are affected thereby are prepared to apply anew for amnesty, provided that the same principles will apply in respect of members of the ANC and other parties who also obtained indemnity in terms of the same provision.”
Wagener said incidents which, according to his instructions, were covered by the indemnity included the bombing of Khotso House (in August 1988), Khanya House, Cosatu House (December 1991), a community centre in Cape Town (1987), a counsellors’ hall in Soweto, power substations in Sandton and Randburg, and damage caused to houses of ANC members.
Truth commission spokesman John Allen said it was regrettable that the details of the letter emerged in the media before Wagener received a response from the commission.
“There has been a response since, but we are not releasing its details to the media,” Allen said. “People should be able to apply for amnesty as individuals. Forms are available and they are welcome to fill them in.”
ANC spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa said the information in Wagener’s letter was “nothing new. We think there is much more than meets the eye, there is more that should still be disclosed by the police.”
Mamoepa added that the disclosures vindicated the ANC’s submissions to the truth commission and testimony from witnesses already presented to the commission.
The ANC is sceptical about whether the disclosures will change the impressions of many people who firmly believed during the 1980s that it was responsible for every activity the government blamed on the organisation.
“There will always be people who believe we were responsible for every necklace murder and every bomb blast in which civilians were injured,” said Mpumalanga Premier Matthew Phosa, who was the ANC’s secretary of intelligence between 1990 and 1994.
“Those people are in for a surprise. I wouldn’t be surprised if former government agents took responsibility for even more incidents.”
Phosa slammed the media as well for allowing itself to be manipulated by the government in its reporting during the 1980s. “The truth is finally catching up with them,” he said.