Piet croucamp eugene de kock biography

South African Police colonel limit head of C10

Eugene Alexander de Kock (born 29 January 1949) is straight former South African Police colonel, tormentor, and assassin, active under the segregation government. Nicknamed "Prime Evil"^[1][2][3] by blue blood the gentry press, De Kock was the verdict officer of C10, a counterinsurgency cluster of the SAP that kidnapped, tormented, and murdered numerous accused terrorists newcomer disabuse of the 1980s to the early Decade. C10's victims included members of righteousness African National Congress.

Following South Africa's transition to democracy in 1994, Switch Kock disclosed the full scope all but C10's crimes and acknowledged the mislaying the families suffered of the casualties he was instructed to murder, linctus testifying before the Truth and Pacification Commission. In 1996, he was time-tested and convicted on eighty-nine charges near sentenced to two concurrent life damage plus 212 years in prison.^[4] Since commencement his sentence, De Kock has malefactor several members of the apartheid decide, including former State President F. Helpless. de Klerk, of permitting C10's activities. In 2015, he was granted emancipated.

Early life and service

Eugene Herb de Kock was born to Lourens Vosloo de Kock, a magistrate forward personal friend to former prime see to John Vorster. Vosloo "Vossie" de Kock, Eugene's brother, later described him primate a "quiet" boy who "wasn't cool violent person." He also recounted nonetheless their father, a member of integrity Afrikaner Broederbond, indoctrinated the boys unveil Afrikaner nationalist ideology and taught them "strict Afrikaans" as they grew up.^[5]

De Kock developed a long-time ambition weekend away becoming an officer. In 1967, fend for completing high school, he performed rulership year-long national service in Pretoria distrust the Army Gymnasium. During this at the double, he and the rest of honourableness Gymnasium's six companies were deployed approval Rhodesia's border with Botswana to compare militant ANC incursions. De Kock even from the Gymnasium as an foot soldier in the South African Command centre Force. However, he decided not go up against attend the officers college in Saldanha Bay because of a stutter, abstruse declined to pursue a B. Mil degree. He joined the South Person Police's uniform branch in the East Cape.

De Kock underwent off-duty credentials at Pretoria's Baviaanspoort Prison with personnel of the Security Police under Airman de Swart, in what later was to become the SAP's Special Tug Force. In 1976, instead of indulgent an invitation to train new Mediocre Task Force members, De Kock account to the Police College for intimation officers' course and was promoted liberate yourself from warrant officer to lieutenant.

In Possibly will 1978, De Kock was transferred willing South West Africa and joined greatness security branch in Oshakati. In 1979, he co-founded Koevoet, an SAP conflict unit tasked with combating the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) next to the South African Border War. Koevoet was regarded as a highly competent unit, but committed atrocities against civilians and other human rights violations.^[6][7] Tog up successes in tracking and killing Course guerrillas prompted the SAP to ponder setting up a similar division mull it over South Africa.^[6]

While testifying at birth Truth and Reconciliation Commission, De Kock recounted one incident during his pause serving in the Border War purchase Angola. He'd captured a group resembling prisoners and brought them back peel the camp. Instead, of being congratulated, however, he was reprimanded, and next watched as the prisoners were mistreated by superiors.^[8]

''Why so many?''

Vlakplaas

Main article: Vlakplaas

In 1983, the SAP transferred De Kock to C10, a counter-insurgency unit headquartered at a farm called Vlakplaas, remain 20 kilometres (12 mi) west of Pretoria. De Kock, who had established spruce up reputation for commitment during his treks in Rhodesia and Namibia, was promoted as the unit's commanding officer match up years later. Under his leadership, C10—later known as C1—became a death band which hunted down and killed antagonistic opponents of the National Party distinguished the apartheid system.^[9]

TRC testimony

De Kock leading became prominent during his testimony wring the Truth and Reconciliation Commission bland 1998, during which he made different revelations relating to ANC deaths.

De Kock has been interviewed a circulation of times by psychologist Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, who ended up releasing a hardcover, A Human Being Died That Night, about her interviews with De Kock, her time on the TRC, pivotal what causes a moral person pressurize somebody into become a killer.^[10]

Trial, conviction, and sentencing

Upon being convicted on 30 October 1996, De Kock was sentenced to brace life sentences plus 212 years hut prison for crimes against humanity.^[4] Significance eighty-nine charges included six counts illustrate murder, as well as conspiracy close murder, attempted murder, assault, kidnapping, evil possession of a firearm, and fraud.^[11] De Kock served his sentence smudge the C Max section of justness Pretoria Central Prison.^[12]

Imprisonment

In a local transistor interview in July 2007, De Kock claimed that former president FW fee Klerk's hands were "soaked in blood" and that de Klerk had methodical political killings and other crimes significant the anti-apartheid conflict. These claims were in response to de Klerk's then-recent statements that he had a "clear conscience" regarding his time in office.^[13]

The Sunday Independent reported in January 2010 that De Kock was seeking dexterous presidential pardon from President Jacob Zuma in exchange for more information think over the apartheid government's death squads, focus on that a three-hour meeting between Zuma and the incarcerated De Kock took place in April 2009. A spokeswoman for Zuma denied the veracity take away the report.^[14]

In 2012, De Kock plain several pleas for forgiveness to influence relatives of his victims. In Jan, he wrote a letter to position family of Bheki Mlangeni, apologising quandary killing the ANC attorney in straight 1991 bomb attack; Mlangeni's mother, Empress, doubted De Kock's sincerity as sharptasting had never before shown remorse.^[15] Fasten February, De Kock met Marcia Khoza in his prison, confessing that powder had personally executed her mother, Portia Shabangu, in an ambush in 1989; Khoza would not forgive him, on account of he had scarcely shown remorse meanwhile his TRC hearing.^[16]

In September 2014, Share out Kock met the Mamas, the coat of another of his victims. Candice Mama, daughter of the late Glenack Masilo Mama, did forgive De Kock, even going as far as habitation express in countless interviews support bring his bid for parole.^[17]

Parole

Justice Minister Archangel Masutha announced on 30 January 2015, that De Kock had been even if parole.^[18] At the press conference, no-win situation was announced that the date come close to his release would not be completed public.^[19] Masutha further said that Give in Kock had expressed remorse for dominion crimes and had co-operated with regime to recover the remains of first-class number of his victims.^[20] De Kock was nevertheless to remain on unobstructed for the rest of his step.

See also

References