Special Report Transcript Episode 45, Section 7, Time 24:37

In November 1989 a man called Dirk Coetzee gave the first documented and detailed account of the South African Police death squad at Vlakplaas. He also told of his share in the murder of activist and lawyer, Griffiths Mxenge. One of his Vlakplaas colleagues, Almond Nofemela confirmed his statements. When we look back today, Coetzee’s revelations were a first step in a process that eventually led us to today’s Truth Commission, but at the time Coetzee’s account of Vlakplaas and the Mxenge murder was vehemently denied and he was called a liar by the police and by the Attorney-General of Natal. Is it not ironic that today Dirk Coetzee and Almond Nofemela are on trial for the very murder they were supposed to have lied about and that they were charged by the very same Attorney-General? Don’t you also find that the man who unlike Coetzee actively took part in the brutal murder of Mxenge, Joe Mamasela is the state’s main witness against him? We will watch the trial and Coetzee’s amnesty application with interest. Another development this week was a result of last week’s Special Report. The former Minister of Defence, Magnus Malan and a former Chief of the Defence Force, Jannie Geldenhuys laid criminal charges against us. We attempted to influence the Truth Commission improperly they say. Watch this space for developments. The same Malan surprised again this week when he asked the Truth Commission for an opportunity to address the Commission to help them obtain a complete picture of the role the former SADF had played in the seventies, eighties and nineties. This is likely to happen early next month. In our programme next week we’ll tell the story of police captain Brian Mitchell’s return to the community that he shattered. It was called the Trust Feed massacre. We’ll also give you a full report on the special hearing about young people to be held in Parys this coming week. Please join us next Sunday at eight. Good night.

Notes: Max du Preez

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