Special Report Transcript Episode 28, Section 3, Time 13:15

Botswana was a crucial country for the ANC’s armed struggle, but living there was extremely dangerous. In 1986 the SADF again attacked Gaborone. // In the early hours of this morning strike aircraft and helicopters of the South African Air Force as well as a ground unit attacked ANC facilities in Harare, Lusaka and Gaborone. [We attacked two targets in Zimbabwe and one in Gaborone]. // And behind this clinical news report lays yet another intricate web of deception and lies. The 1986 raid into Botswana had been triggered 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 on Gaborone. He says politicians like Pik Botha and President PW Botha knew about this elaborate plan. During the raid no weapons or literature was found in the houses that were attacked. In fact, a briefcase belonging to one of those killed in the raid and brought back to South Africa was found to belong to a deputy director of water affairs in the Botswana government. Eugene de Kock was then asked to provide three makarov pistols which were then planted in the briefcase before it was displayed to the media.

Notes: Reporter; News bulletin, 19 May 1986; Lt Kat Liebenberg; Reporter; Secret document: ANC facility: Mogotatsane, Botswana.; Ammunition

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