Eugene de Kock hospitalised amid Cradock Four inquest
Former apartheid death squad commander Eugene de Kock has been admitted to hospital.
He is reportedly suffering from heart problems.
The news of his hospitalisation was announced at the Gqebherha High Court on Tuesday.
The third inquest into the deaths of the Cradock Four is under way.
The inquiry aims to determine whether members of the apartheid security branch — or anyone else — can be held legally responsible for the 1985 murders of four anti-apartheid activists.
The Cradock Four — Matthew Goniwe, Fort Calata, Sicelo Mhlauli, and Sparrow Mkhonto — were activists from the Eastern Cape who were abducted, tortured and killed near Gqeberha.
Their charred remains were discovered outside the city.
Two earlier inquests were held — the first, which ran from 1987 to 1989, concluded that unknown assailants killed the men, while a second inquiry in 1993 found unidentified police officers had murdered them.
De Kock’s legal team informed presiding judge Thami Beshe that his health had worsened late last week, forcing him to receive medical treatment.
De Kock, once dubbed “Prime Evil” for his role in apartheid-era assassinations, was the commander of Vlakplaas — a covert police unit that hunted down anti-apartheid activists.
After the democratic transition, he was convicted of multiple murders but later released on parole in 2015 after serving more than 20 years in prison.
He had been expected to take the witness stand on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, United Democratic Movement leader and former Transkei military ruler General Bantu Holomisa gave testimony at the inquest.
Holomisa, who was stationed in the Eastern Cape during the 1980s, spoke about the tense political climate at the time.
“The evidence led at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission proved beyond reasonable doubt that this violence was sponsored by the apartheid state,” he testified.
Holomisa also fired a broadside at the late former president FW de Klerk.
He said De Klerk, who died in 2021, did nothing once the evidence came to light.
“If you were not aware that your security forces were doing this dirty work, you should have prosecuted them.
“Why issue statements denying involvement when there was proof?” he said.
Holomisa said he came across a secret military communication known as “the signal” and subsequently leaked it to the press in 1992.
The document was penned by then-SA Defence Force officer Lawrence du Plessis.
Holomisa said Du Plessis gave him the document.
Later, they travelled to Johannesburg to meet with the late former president Nelson Mandela to discuss the document.
According to Holomisa, Du Plessis also handed over other papers, including plans by the apartheid bosses to remove the late Ciskei Prime Minister, Lennox Sebe.
He said it formed part of a wider, state-backed effort to fuel black-on-black violence and sow chaos in SA.
According to Holomisa, the phrase “permanent removal” was coded language for assassination.
In 1999, eight former police officers applied for amnesty before the TRC for their role in the abduction and murder of the four activists.
They included Hermanus du Plessis, who drafted the death order; Eric Taylor, who confessed to the killings; Harold Snyman, Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, Gerhardus Lotz, Sakkie van Zyl, Jaap van Jaarsveld and De Kock.
Only De Kock and Van Jaarsveld were granted amnesty.
The TRC found there was sufficient evidence for prosecution, but none followed.
All the accused have since died.
The inquiry continues.
IOL News