Former apartheid minister Adriaan Vlok dies

Adriaan Vlok, the minister of law and order as well as correctional services during apartheid, passed away early on Sunday morning.

Vlok dies after short illness

Family spokesperson Peet Bothma said Vlok died, after a short illness, at the Unitas Hospital in Centurion, Pretoria.

He was 85 years old.

“He is survived by his wife Antoinette, three children, Nicolaas and Adriaan Johannes Vlok and Annemarie Coetzee, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild,” Bothma said.

“Funeral arrangements are currently being made and will be announced shortly.”

Vlok served as South Africa’s minister of law and order from 1986 to 1991. He was also a member of the State Security Council at this time.

During this period of apartheid, South Africa saw many violent incidents including hit squads, bombings and the assassination of anti-apartheid activists.

Vlakplaas

Many of these crimes were committed by the notorious Vlakplaas division, while Vlok was in charge of the police.

The Vlakplaas unit conducted covert operations against those thought to be opponents of the apartheid government. This included the murder and torture of many anti-apartheid activists.

In 1991, as Vlok was criticised for atrocities committed under his leadership, President FW de Klerk transferred him to minister of correctional services.

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TRC admissions

Vlok was the only Cabinet minister to admit to committing crimes at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). This included the bombing of the SA Council of Churches (SACC) headquarters and the Cosatu headquarters.

In 2007 he pleaded guilty to the attempted assassination of anti-apartheid activist Frank Chikane.

Vlok received a 10-year suspended prison sentence after admitting he ordered the security police to kill Chikane.

Washing feet

In 2006, he made headlines around the world when he washed the feet of Chikane and asked him for forgiveness.

Vlok also washed the feet of 10 widows and mothers of the Mamelodi 10, another group of anti-apartheid activists.

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