Nthelang was killed in a drunken frenzy after he reported having lost his fire a r m . The remaining three (Brian Ngqulunga, Neville Goodwill Sikhakane and escaped a s k a r i Johannes Temba Mabotha) were killed in the post-1990 period. Following the disclosures of Butana Nofomela and Dirk Coetzee in 1989, there was i n c reasing fear that a s k a r i s would reveal the workings of C1/Vlakplaas.

1. The story of Mr Tlhomedi Ephraim Mfalapitsa, aka Francis Tladi [AM3592/96] p rovides insight into the experience of a s k a r i s . Mr Mfalapitsa left South Africa in 1976 and joined the ANC in exile. He underwent military training, was deployed on missions into South Africa and finally ended up at military headquarters in Zambia.
2. After the bombing of Nova Catengue camp in 1979, the ANC became extremely edgy about security. It was at this stage that Mr Mfalapitsa found himself party to the torture of suspects during interrogation and witnessed the killing of an operative by other members of his unit. He testified to the Amnesty Committee that he became increasingly disillusioned with the ANC and, in November 1981, re t u rned to South Africa and handed himself over to the SAP:

I told the South African Police that I am not interested in joining either side of the conflict. I wanted them to debrief me and set me free because there was n o w h e re else to go and this is my country. And it was my experience and my a r rest in Botswana, I saw many people who were stateless, who had no place to go. … And then, they refused me. They said they could not let me, after having been in military structure in which Joe Modise is the Chief of the armed forces of the MK. So I helped and I was forced to join the South African Police. (Johannesburg hearing, May 1999.)

1. In January 1982, Mr Mfalapitsa was enrolled as an a s k a r i at C1/Vlakplaas. Shortly afterwards, he was approached by a neighbour’s son, Mr Zandisile Musi, who asked him for help in leaving South Africa. Musi, whose two bro t h e r s had left South Africa with Mfalapitsa, had no idea that he had changed sides. U n s u re whether this was a trap, Mr Mfalapitsa reported the request and was instructed to continue posing as an MK operative.
2. C1 commander Jan Coetzee asked for and received authorisation for an entrapment operation. On instructions from Coetzee, Mfalapitsa off e red to train Zandisile Musi and his friends. On the appointed day, he took the four youths to an outbuilding on a disused mine near Krugersdorp where explosives had a l ready been laid. Mfalapitsa left the building and the explosives were detonated, killing three and severely injuring Musi.

V O L U M E 6 S E C T I O N 3 C H A P T E R 1 P A G E 2 2 1