Witdoeke

Explanation
Separate vigilante groups in the Cape and in the OFS, both named Witdoeke because of the white scarves (witdoeke) they wore around their heads or arms. Cape - During May and June 1986, the Witdoeke in Crossroads, Cape Town, were mobilised by their pro-government leader Johnson Ngxobongwana into vigilante attacks on UDF-aligned individuals and areas. More than 66 people were killed in the two attacks and more than 60 000 were left homeless. OFS - In the OFS, the Witdoeke were an informal vigilante group operating with police support.

TV Series Hearing Transcripts TRC Final Report TRC Victims

Episode 52 | Watch the Episode

... provides some background to the Crossroads informal settlement and the violent clashes between the traditionalist ?headmen? of Crossroads known as Witdoeke and the young, militant activists or Maqabane of its satellite camps. Victims gave testimony at the HRV Committee hearings held in Athlone ...

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Episode 52, Section 2 | Watch the Video

1986 Conflict between the Witdoeke and Comrades in Crossroads, Western Cape

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Transcript of episode 52, section 2, starting at: 02:40

The first wave of horror came in May 1986. Over three days the ‘fathers,’ or witdoeke systematically burned three satellite squatter camps around Crossroads to the ground. The security forces then stepped in. They encircled the area with barbed wire to prevent the 30 000 left homeless by the ...

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Transcript of episode 52, section 2, starting at: 11:23

May I say that your interests, the interests of the security forces, and the interests of the witdoeke converged in a sense? // Yes mam. // …. And that all three groups would have done anything to make sure that the strategies you engage in facilitated the process. For you, the process would be ...

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Transcript of episode 52, section 2, starting at: 10:19

I quite clearly saw a burst of about ten shots giving what the army called covering fire to witdoeke who went in underneath that fire so that the residents of KTC would take refuge and then the witdoeke would go in under cover of that fire and torch shacks.

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Transcript of episode 52, section 2, starting at: 10:55

During the marathon three year court case which more than 3000 people brought against the police they denied complicity with the witdoeke and eventually no one was found guilty for the deaths and destruction. But this week the Truth Commission heard this man, Ulrich Schellhase admit the links. ...

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Transcript of episode 49, section 3, starting at: 17:22

... trying to destabilize organisations, it is on your own records. You have the AmaSinyora, you had the A-Teams and you had the AmaAfrika, you had the Witdoeke, all of them part of the counter mobilization strategy of the police to a very large ...

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Transcript of episode 52, section 2, starting at: 07:43

The squatter leaders managed to have an urgent interim interdict granted against the police and witdoeke, preventing them from unlawfully entering KTC and destroying this remaining camp. Despite the interdict, KTC started burning on 9 June 1986.

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