THE family of Bathandwa Ndondo, the student activist from Cala village killed by Eugene “Prime Evil” de Kock in 1985, said they had forgiven him and had no problem if he was granted parole.
Justice Minister Michael Masuthu is due to announce today whether De Kock will be paroled, after he was given 30 days by Judge Thokozile Masipa to decide.
De Kock, the former head of the special police unit at Vlakplaas which combed the country taking out anti-apartheid activists, has applied for parole in respect of two life sentences and a further 212 years’ imprisonment for murder, conspiracy to commit murder, culpable homicide, kidnapping, assault and fraud.
But some of the relatives and those close to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission process have expressed mixed feelings about the possibility of the killer’s release.
In the Eastern Cape, De Kock was granted amnesty by the TRC for his involvement in the killings of the Cradock Four – Matthew Goniwe, Sparrow Mkhonto, Sicelo Mhlauli and Fort Calata.
Ndondo, a student activist at the then University of Transkei, was shot dead by a hit squad in Cala on September 24 1985.
De Kock never applied for amnesty for his role in the murder.
Yesterday his mother Lulama Ndondo-Sidumo said that as a Christian she had forgiven De Kock.
“The Bible says one must learn to forgive. If the state feels releasing him is the best thing to do, De Kock is most welcome to come out and be with his family,” she said.
Ndondo was shot nine times. Eight of the shots were fired while he was lying down, according to forensic reports.
His mother, who still lives in Cala, said the security police and soldiers had served the interests of the state and De Kock and his team were all victims of circumstances. “They were just doing what their jobs expected them to do,” she said.
Bathandwa’s cousin, legal luminary and former TRC commissioner Dumisa Ntsebeza, said he hoped that Masuthu would consult with relatives of De Kock’s victims before he took a decision on whether or not to parole him.
It is important that the victims get consulted. I don’t know if this has been done
This was an important principle of restorative justice, which the Constitutional Court had recognised was necessary in the process of deciding presidential pardons.
“Even in this instance, it is important that the victims get consulted. I don’t know if this has been done in respect of Eugene de Kock.”
East Londoner Chris Meyer, whose brother Leon and Leon’s wife Jacki Quin were killed in the Maseru raid in 1985, said De Kock had shown remorse.
“I can’t say I’ll be glad if he walks free. What he did was wrong, a terrible deed, heinous and nefarious. But he was punished and he did show remorse. “If his application fails or succeeds, so be it. I feel nothing. It won’t bring Leon and Jacki back.
“It wasn’t the only time he tried to kill Leon. He also tried to poison him with beer. He was apparently furious when Leon refused to drink it.”
But the director of Khulumani, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s victim support group, Dr Marjorie Jobson, said De Kock could have done far more to bring relief to the families of his victims. Jobson said the thought of De Kock’s release was problematic for many of them. “He met not even 10% of the families and I’ve never seen such relief,” she said. “He has this incredible memory and parents so badly needed the details he gave – ‘was my son brave’ and ‘did he suffer’.
“He saw that relief for himself but he seems to think because he did it for a few families that was enough. Why did he stop? He has missed a huge opportunity to create so much relief for so many. There are so many more people who want his apology.
“It’s true he has also been helping the NPA locate bodies for reburial but still, what is important for the families is to feel the power relationship change, and De Kock is still demanding things on his own terms.”
She said De Kock cut all contact with her a ew years ago and even refused to see her when she went to visit.
Ntsebeza said that De Kock’s testimony during his amnesty applications at the TRC had been frank, with “the fullest disclosure that it was possible for him to give”.
“One wondered why he was so candid about what he had been involved in. He was quite frank even about the brutality that was involved.”
But, he said, the family commemorated Bathandwa’s death every year on September 24, Heritage Day on the South African calendar.
Asked if he believed De Kock had a role to play in South African society if he was paroled, he said: “Frankly I don’t know. I’ve never been able to establish if he has regrets, from all the testimony he gave when he applied for amnesty.
“He might contribute to further reconciliation of our society.
“But he may well decide that he’s bitter and does nothing more.”
De Kock has previously said that former president FW de Klerk and other members of the apartheid government had permitted his unit’s activities but had not been held accountable.
Time to forgive ‘Prime Evil’
Justice Minister Michael Masuthu is due to announce today whether De Kock will be paroled, after he was given 30 days by Judge Thokozile Masipa to decide.
De Kock, the former head of the special police unit at Vlakplaas which combed the country taking out anti-apartheid activists, has applied for parole in respect of two life sentences and a further 212 years’ imprisonment for murder, conspiracy to commit murder, culpable homicide, kidnapping, assault and fraud.
But some of the relatives and those close to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission process have expressed mixed feelings about the possibility of the killer’s release.
In the Eastern Cape, De Kock was granted amnesty by the TRC for his involvement in the killings of the Cradock Four – Matthew Goniwe, Sparrow Mkhonto, Sicelo Mhlauli and Fort Calata.
Ndondo, a student activist at the then University of Transkei, was shot dead by a hit squad in Cala on September 24 1985.
De Kock never applied for amnesty for his role in the murder.
Yesterday his mother Lulama Ndondo-Sidumo said that as a Christian she had forgiven De Kock.
“The Bible says one must learn to forgive. If the state feels releasing him is the best thing to do, De Kock is most welcome to come out and be with his family,” she said.
Ndondo was shot nine times. Eight of the shots were fired while he was lying down, according to forensic reports.
His mother, who still lives in Cala, said the security police and soldiers had served the interests of the state and De Kock and his team were all victims of circumstances. “They were just doing what their jobs expected them to do,” she said.
Bathandwa’s cousin, legal luminary and former TRC commissioner Dumisa Ntsebeza, said he hoped that Masuthu would consult with relatives of De Kock’s victims before he took a decision on whether or not to parole him.
It is important that the victims get consulted. I don’t know if this has been done
This was an important principle of restorative justice, which the Constitutional Court had recognised was necessary in the process of deciding presidential pardons.
“Even in this instance, it is important that the victims get consulted. I don’t know if this has been done in respect of Eugene de Kock.”
East Londoner Chris Meyer, whose brother Leon and Leon’s wife Jacki Quin were killed in the Maseru raid in 1985, said De Kock had shown remorse.
“I can’t say I’ll be glad if he walks free. What he did was wrong, a terrible deed, heinous and nefarious. But he was punished and he did show remorse. “If his application fails or succeeds, so be it. I feel nothing. It won’t bring Leon and Jacki back.
“It wasn’t the only time he tried to kill Leon. He also tried to poison him with beer. He was apparently furious when Leon refused to drink it.”
But the director of Khulumani, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s victim support group, Dr Marjorie Jobson, said De Kock could have done far more to bring relief to the families of his victims. Jobson said the thought of De Kock’s release was problematic for many of them. “He met not even 10% of the families and I’ve never seen such relief,” she said. “He has this incredible memory and parents so badly needed the details he gave – ‘was my son brave’ and ‘did he suffer’.
“He saw that relief for himself but he seems to think because he did it for a few families that was enough. Why did he stop? He has missed a huge opportunity to create so much relief for so many. There are so many more people who want his apology.
“It’s true he has also been helping the NPA locate bodies for reburial but still, what is important for the families is to feel the power relationship change, and De Kock is still demanding things on his own terms.”
She said De Kock cut all contact with her a ew years ago and even refused to see her when she went to visit.
Ntsebeza said that De Kock’s testimony during his amnesty applications at the TRC had been frank, with “the fullest disclosure that it was possible for him to give”.
“One wondered why he was so candid about what he had been involved in. He was quite frank even about the brutality that was involved.”
But, he said, the family commemorated Bathandwa’s death every year on September 24, Heritage Day on the South African calendar.
Asked if he believed De Kock had a role to play in South African society if he was paroled, he said: “Frankly I don’t know. I’ve never been able to establish if he has regrets, from all the testimony he gave when he applied for amnesty.
“He might contribute to further reconciliation of our society.
“But he may well decide that he’s bitter and does nothing more.”
De Kock has previously said that former president FW de Klerk and other members of the apartheid government had permitted his unit’s activities but had not been held accountable.
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