‘Prime Evil’ De Kock Testifies in Cradock Four Inquest, Denies Direct Involvement

JOHANNESBURG — Eugene de Kock, a former South African police commander notorious for his role in killing anti-apartheid activists, testified on Monday at an inquiry into the 1985 murders of four activists known as the Cradock Four. While denying direct involvement in the case, de Kock revealed that police possessed files on approximately 6,000 anti-apartheid activists labeled as “known terrorists,” suggesting they were targets for elimination if arrest proved impossible .

The Cradock Four and the Renewed Focus on Apartheid Atrocities

Matthew Goniwe, Fort Calata, Sicelo Mhlauli, and Sparrow Mkonto, three of whom were teachers, were abducted by police at a roadblock and subsequently killed. Their bodies were discovered burned, marking one of the most shocking incidents of the apartheid era . The resumption of the inquest follows renewed scrutiny of atrocities committed by South African security forces during the decades of enforced racial segregation.

De Kock’s Testimony and the Cover-Up Attempt

De Kock, known as “Prime Evil,” stated that the Cradock Four were not included in the list of 6,000 individuals flagged as “known terrorists.” However, he testified that a fellow police officer approached him seeking assistance with a cover-up, specifically requesting a firearm and facilitate in “interfering with the ballistics” of the case .

A History of Impunity and Previous Inquiries

De Kock, former commander of the Vlakplaas security police base, was sentenced to two life terms plus 212 years in prison in 1996 for his role in the C10 death squad, responsible for numerous murders, kidnappings, and crimes against anti-apartheid activists. He was granted parole in 2015 after serving approximately 20 years .

Previous inquiries into the Cradock Four murders, conducted during the apartheid era, were widely suspected of being cover-ups. A 1987 inquiry attributed the deaths to “unknown people,” while a 1993 inquiry blamed “unnamed police officers.” The current inquiry was initiated last year due to pressure from the families of the victims.

Ongoing Investigations into Apartheid-Era Crimes

South African authorities have recently reopened investigations into other apartheid-era atrocities, including the deaths of Albert Luthuli (1967), Griffiths Mxenge (1981), and Steve Biko (1977) . President Cyril Ramaphosa last year ordered a separate inquiry to determine if post-apartheid governments intentionally obstructed investigations and prosecutions of apartheid-era crimes.

De Kock’s Testimony and Court Proceedings

The 77-year-ancient de Kock was escorted by a police guard to the Gqeberha High Court, where the Cradock Four were killed. His image was blurred during the official video broadcast, following a judge’s ruling requested by the Foundation for Human Rights, representing some of the victims’ families . Notably, all six former policemen implicated in the killings have since died without facing prosecution, despite being identified and denied amnesty during the Truth and Reconciliation process in the late 1990s.