From: henk@fudd.frcs.alt.za (Henk Coetzee)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african,sanet.talk.politics
Subject: Followup "Intimidation, looting and arson" 
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 92 20:56:32 GMT
Organization: FRCS mail/news uucp point


In article <Aug.20.17.49.15.1992.4184@andromeda.rutgers.edu
>detrolio@andromeda.rutgers.edu writes:

>>On <18 Aug 1992 20:39>David De Trolio (5:7104/2) said to All :
>
>>DDT>I think you have put Mandela on too high of a pedestal, and are
>>DDT>under estimating President De Klerk.  The worst mistake which can be
>>DDT>made at this point is to under estimate the far right.  I feel it is
>>DDT>safe to say there are some similarities, but not many.
>
>>Maybe you put Yeltsin on too high a pedestal. I think that perhaps de Klerk's 
>>biggest mistake so far has been to over-estimate the far right. Why else has 
>>he failed to control the police and the army? Or does he seriously think they 
>>will topple him?

I'd like to mention some stuff from this week's Pretoria News and Star.

Since Aug 20, the last date that I have for this thread, Colonel Gert
Hugo, an ex Military Intelligence Officer, has revealed that a network
of security force and ex-security force members "is actively fomenting
"black on black" violence, sabotaging negotiations and planning to retain
an independent power base irrespective of any negotiated settlement." 
(Pretoria News, Mon August 24)

Hugo claims that "In preparation for 'total war' under the state of 
emergency in 1986, these units were cut off from their sources of
intelligence and told they must identify and act against political
targets. There was less and less accountability and now it is out 
of control".

Hugo also claims that de Klerk and some ministers are not fully aware of
what is going on, but to act against the "rougue elements" would alienate
the security forces and expose senior political figures.

In the Star of Tuesday Aug 25, Hugo alleges that there are contingency
plans for a military takeover if the Government looks like loosing its 
grip. Also that the government is unwilling to acta against the third
force, as MI has "so much dirt on the Cabinet" that the generals have
become "virtually untouchable".

Hugo alleges that he, as senior intelligence officer in East London in
early 1990, received a signal from Pretoria, warning of the threat of
uprising, anarchy and revolution, spearheaded by the ANC. "The hidden
message - but it was absolutely clear - was that we had to make plans 
for a total military takeover when this happened. My officer commanding,
for example, envisaged imposing martial law." (The Star, 25/8/92). Hugo 
insists that the plan still exists today.

Hugo goes on: "Some of the attacks - some of the train massacres for 
example - bear the unmistakeable hallmarks of the Special Forces
reconnaissance regiments. Others are pure Koevoet."

>
>I see no danger of a military coup in SA.  

I think that the latest accusations against the security forces may 
overestimate the likelihood of a military coup, but I don't think
that it is completely impossible.

>But the existing police forces
>have been trained and have lived with their presence and authority used
>both to protect civil laws along with Apartheid law.  

The problem is not the CID type of cops, although they seem only too
keen to kill suspects on a regular basis, but the ex-security branch
cops and Military Intelligence types.

>It will be difficult
>for some to quickly separate the two, but with time and proper assistance
>this can be achieved.  I do not agree that the State President has failed
>to control the SAP & the SADF.

On what basis? The police respond to allegations against them around
Boipatong by claiming to have erased the tapes of their communications
that night "by accident", and allegation after allegation comes against
them, without their being able to disprove most of them. If what 
Hugo says about the Security Forces having "dirt" on senior Government
members, then it looks as though de Klerk is one of the guilty ones,
has his hands tied by more powerful elements or is too stupid to
notice what's going on behind his back.

-------------
Henk Coetzee
Pretoria
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Newsgroups: soc.culture.african