Special Report Transcript Episode 10, Section 3, Time 15:08

In 1987 Samuel Thwane joined Rocky Malebane Metsing’s People’s Progressive Party that opposed the government of Lucas Mangope in Bophuthatswana. // We had the support of the people. The whole of Bophuthatswana supported us. We were confidant until after the elections. After the results were made available, we found out that Mangope had the support from Phokeng and he was afraid of some people from Phokeng. He was afraid of Mr. Malebane, and he was also afraid of Chief Lebone therefore he allowed the region to win and the other votes he took for himself and he could win, he could beat us in the elections. We had to go back to the drawing room and we decided to do something. And then someone came with the suggestion that we should stage a coup. Forcefully remove him, if possible destroy him. On the 9th of February the executive gathered at the headquarters of the party, called Eagle’s Nest situated in the town of Mafikeng. Then we said, today is the day, no mistake, we are going to explode. I went back to bed as if … pretending … not telling my wife anything. Around about five o’clock on the 10th of February I woke my wife and told her it was time to prepare for work, and I just lied there and I asked her to open the radio. She did exactly that, at six o’ clock exactly she called me and said, ‘Sam’ and I said ‘yes?’ She said ‘there’s a coup, Mangope’s government has been toppled and the announcement is your party is going to be given the government.’ And I jumped up as if I was not aware that that was going to happen. I pretended to move around the village to see the reaction of the people. Everybody was happy; my wife was excited about the whole thing. I’m aware, as I have said that the thing had failed. The South African Police, the soldiers, the South African soldiers had restored Mangope to power. It turned … rejoice turned into mourning and trouble had started for all the members of the PPP.

Notes: TRC testimony: Samuel Thwane; Footage of Bop coup thwarted by the SADF; Mangope, PW Botha, and Geldenhuys