From: detrolio@andromeda.rutgers.edu (David De Trolio)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: Re: SADF Purge
Date: 21 Dec 92 22:14:24 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

philip@concave.cs.wits.ac.za (Philip Machanick) writes:

>In article <Dec.20.19.33.27.1992.8310@andromeda.rutgers.edu> David De
>Trolio, detrolio@andromeda.rutgers.edu writes:

>>into retirement when SA seems to be at a crossroads.  I am sure the
>>SA Press is having a field day with this news, and that the ANC in all
>>of its arrogance will call for more and call for the State President to
>>step aside.

>So it's arrogant to demand that the government should prevent its
>minions from carrying out murder and disrupting the peace process?

No, it makes great sense to remove any individual(s) who take the
matters of life and death into their own hands or base it on their
own feelings.  As a military force the SADF is unique because it was
not only used by the SA Government for self-defense but to enforce the
Apartheid Laws.  But is seems the reform process is halted each time one
side or the other finds some new problem or disagreement, and points to
President De Klerk and calls for his resignation.  What do you think would
happen if he did step aside now.  Remove the offenders, not the State
President.

>>Removing the members of the command structure of the defence forces is
>>not going to change the attitudes or feelings of many it is ranks, and
>>will surely not change the present course or policy of the SADF until
>>the reform process is "complete" (whenever and whatever it will be.

>The "ranks" of the SADF mostly consist of conscripts who probably are
>70% for negotiation if they follow the trend of the population as a
>whole (maybe slightly less because most draft dodgers are in the
>ant-apartheid camp. I should also point out that the investigation
>was done by a Lieutenant General, and may more accurately be seen as
>a power struggle between the old gard cold warriors and more realistic
>officers who would like to advance their careers under a future
>government.

This factor and the nature of the investigation was not in the
story I saw locally, I will have to review other sources.  Detailed
information of events in SA politics either get buried or ignored in
many areas of the media since the reform process began.  At what age
and for how long are you required to serve in the defence forces?

>>>Even more interesting. Apparently criminal prosecutions
>>>may follow.
>>
>>There is a constant cry here for special prosecutors for every single
>>incident or dirty deal which happens and is discovered in American
>>politics.  How or would something similar to this occur in the South
>>African Government?  Is there an internal affairs department?

>How many of these "dirty deals" involve murder, undermining the
>(elected if by a minority) government's policies, etc.?

We do not always know, most agree the special prosecutor in many
cases should be investigated by a special prosecutor!  Internal
auditing is a difficult process here in the US, it is not an aspect
of government we are proud of, and it will take time to adjust.  Is
it law in SA to make public the final report after the investigation is
completed?




-- 
David De Trolio - (detrolio@andromeda.rutgers.edu)
--------------------------------------------------
Reagan-Bush 1981-1988 + Bush-Quayle 1989-1992
An Era of Strong American Leadership