Chikane: Leave Vlok alone

2007-08-17 16:21

Pretoria - Director-general in the presidency Frank Chikane was pleased that the case of the five apartheid securocrats who tried to kill him was over.

"At last for me it is over, and it is an important thing," he said at a press conference after apartheid-era law and order minister Adriaan Vlok, police chief Johan van der Merwe and three police officers were sentenced in the Pretoria High Court.

Vlok and Van der Merwe were sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, suspended for five years for attempting to kill Chikane in 1989 by lacing his clothes with poison.

The other three accused - Major-General Christoffel Smith and colonels Gert Otto and Johannes Van Staden - were sentenced to five years, similarly suspended.

Chikane said he hoped the day's proceedings would encourage others to come forward and tell of their involvement in apartheid era crimes.

'Leave Mr Vlok alone'

"I'm hoping that we can close this matter... actually we could finish with this thing if everybody just went to the NPA, and just went and disclosed and let those people who are protesting know what happened to their loved ones," said Chikane.

But the trial also held certain lessons including that those who did not believe the levels the apartheid government has gone to, now had proof.

"I hope that those who did not believe that the apartheid system deteriorated to these levels should now accept, because it's official, it's not speculation," he said.

Chikane did not want to be drawn into possible further prosecution of Dr Wouter Basson who was incriminated in court papers, saying only he would like to hear that Basson was sorry.

"I would be pleased if he would come to me and say we are very sorry we produced this stuff," he said, referring to the poison used in the attempt on his life.

Basson headed a chemical warfare project during the apartheid era.

Chikane also defended Vlok after it was revealed in court that Vlok's plea for forgiveness while washing Chikane's feet last year came after the NPA said it was considering prosecuting him.

"Leave Mr Vlok alone, really, you know Mr Vlok has done something none of you would do, nothing would have forced him to do it," he said.

The case on Friday showed how far the country had progressed since 1994 - the year of the country's first democratic election.

"I sat in that court - looked at the judge, the lawyers the officials and thought this is an extraordinary country you know," Chikane said.

- SAPA