Vlakplaas

In November 1989 Dirk Coetzee informed the world and I suppose De Klerk of the existence of Vlakplaas, a police unit on a farm outside Pretoria which specialized in assassinating government opponents.

... to Coetzee he and his four man death squad assassinated this man, Griffiths Mxenge in 1981. ‘Nonsense’, police said. ‘The man was crazy, Vlakplaas never killed anyone.’ // A claim by a former police captain that he led a hit squad that eliminated government opponents has been firmly ...

In April 1990 a large squad of Vlakplaas operatives and Western Transvaal security police led by Eugene de Kock set off on a midnight mission into Botswana. Their target was the home and shop of Sam Chan also referred to as Kahn. This week Wouter Mentz sought amnesty for his role in the murders of ...

... the East Rand were seething. Six COSAS leaders died in July in 1985 after being lured into launching an attack with hand grenades, booby trapped by Vlakplaas policeman Joe Mamasela. At one of their funerals Maki Skosana was fingered as the informer who gave him away to the police. Even the people ...

... this past week to talk about their role in a shooting spree in Nyanga in March 1986. In a day of high drama it was revealed for the first time that Vlakplaas members were involved in the gruesome execution of seven young men from Gugulethu ten years ...

Successive states of emergency created an environment where secret units of the security forces flourished. Units like the shady Civil Cooperation Bureau and the police death squads at Vlakplaas were formed.

... shocks, smothering with a wet bag over the head or decide to work for the security police with benefits like proper pay and a luxury life on Vlakplaas. So it’s obvious, it’s human that you would choose the easy way ...

During 1991 Vlakplaas investigated gun running from Mozambique to ANC and PAC units in the country. A plan to ambush and arrest four gun smugglers turned into a shooting spree. The four men were killed in cold blood, but the official story was that they were killed in self defence.

... of the state started working together to eliminate those who oppose the National Party state. On the police side it was the security police and Vlakplaas, on the military side it was special forces, Military Intelligence, the Directorate Covert Collection and that sinister band with the ...

Grim and gory details of Vlakplaas murders, abductions and cross border operations emerged again this week. Dirk Coetzee, Almond Nofemela and David Tshikalanga who are applying for amnesty for a range of atrocities continue to spill the sordid tales of South Africa’s secret death farm.

... for. It was not the only element of the third force, the army special forces took part in train violence in the 1980s as part of a third force. And Vlakplaas and the army’s Directorate Covert Collection also acted as a third force in attacks such as the Boipatong massacre. We can only hope that ...

the secret message sent to arch assassin Eugene de Kock a day after the massacre. All these bear the hallmarks of a more sinister puppet master, the Vlakplaas death squads, designed to eliminate activists and cadres. ...

The names of Eugene de Kock, Dirk Coetzee and Joe Mamasela have become household names in South Africa the last few years. So has the name Vlakplaas, the farm where these efficient killers had their base. The secret of the so-called successful death squad was the use of a group of men and women ...

... newspaper and one police contacted us after seeing her picture on the newspaper and said he knew that girl, because he kept guard at that girl in Vlakplaas police station. And the last time that police saw Nokuthula, Nokuthula was ill and she was severely and brutally ...

At about the same time Vlakplaas had launched a huge manhunt for Odirile Maponya, a high ranking MK guerrilla. During the search Eugene de Kock killed his younger brother, Japie Maponya with a spade. Stanza’s mother and two brothers, visibly upset by this late confirmation of his death believe ...

There were high expectations that the disappearance of the three Port Elizabeth activists known as the Pebco three would finally be resolved this week. It did not happen. Col Roelf Venter, a former Vlakplaas officer only admitted to being part of the abduction of the men.

Allegations of security force involvement in the East Rand violence have never gone away. A third force and Vlakplaas operatives were alleged to be fanning the fires of war, but the most often heard allegation was that the police gave Inkatha guns and protection. In this ANC video police drop off ...

... by the discovery of this huge arms cash near Krugersdorp. But it was not an ANC’s arms cash as the generals claimed. Eugene de Kock says his Vlakplaas unit had in fact been asked to supply the weapons that were then planted. It was done in order for the SADF to justify their second attack ...

... Harold Snyman, Hermanus du Plessis, Johan van Zyl, Gideon Niewoudt and Gerhardus Lotz are asking for amnesty for the murder of the Pebco Three. Vlakplaas operatives Roelf Venter, Gert Beeslaar, Kimpani Mogoai and Johannes Koole are applying for their ...

out used their usefulness. They have outlived their usefulness. In other words they were not productive and the only way for one to be productive at Vlakplaas is to kill people. Vusi died, he refused to cooperate. Peter died, because he was useless according to them, he outlived his usefulness. ...