Former apartheid spy Craig Williamson has concluded his testimony at the Cradock Four Inquest in the Gqeberha High Court, Eastern Cape....Click to Read More >>➤
Williamson, who once served as Section Head of the State Security Council, firmly denied any role in the planning or execution of the murders of Matthew Goniwe, Fort Calata, Sparrow Mkhonto, and Sicelo Mhlauli, collectively known as the Cradock Four.
During apartheid, Williamson’s duties included infiltrating organisations such as the African National Congress (ANC) and the National Union of South African Students (NUSAS) to gather intelligence for the apartheid government.
Craig Williamson Defends His Record During Apartheid
Taking the stand, Williamson told the court that his orders were to neutralise revolutionary movements considered threats to state security.
“My lady, not only neutralise specific enemies of the state, but to work on neutralising the political and revolutionary onslaught being conducted against the state at that time. It wasn’t difficult to identify what has been called ‘enemies’ because these were people who were active in various revolutionary movements like the ANC, the PAC, the SACP and other organisations,” he testified.
Human Rights Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi questioned the credibility of Williamson’s account, pointing out his history of deception during apartheid operations.
Williamson maintained that he had been truthful and transparent about his past, noting that he was granted amnesty by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) for three separate incidents.
Ngcukaitobi pressed further, “So, you have spent your life deceiving people, you infiltrated the movements and deceived intelligent men, even going as far as the London bombing. That was you right?”
Williamson replied, “Yes, as I testified in my TRC application, I was involved in that bombing.”
When Ngcukaitobi challenged him again on his truthfulness, Williamson stood by his current testimony, replying simply, “Yes.”
Two former security branch officers, Gerrit Erasmus and Izak ‘Krappies’ Engelbrecht, are expected to testify next on Wednesday as persons of interest. ...Click to Read More >>➤
