The South African government has attempted to destroy anti-apartheid organisations through detentions, bannings, emergency restrictions and physical attacks. Armed groups of 'vigilantes' are being increasingly used in the attack on democratic organisations. These groups, which operate with varying degrees of state backing or involvement, use violence and terror in attempts to destroy resistance and to help collaborators with the regime assert control. They are now being incorporated into police forces, especially Municipal Police and the Special Constables.
Many of the groups known loosely as vigilantes are linked to bantustan authorities. In the Ciskei, Lebowa and Kwandebele bantustans vigilantes have been particularly active and brutal, killing and assaulting members of youth organisations, United Democratic Front (UDF) structures and trade unions.
In the Pietermaritzburg area Inkatha groups linked to the Kwazulu bantustan authorities have been battling against UDF organisations and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) (see FOCUS 74, p.3). By the end of last year more than 270 people had been killed in the fighting around Pietermaritzburg and there were many more deaths in the first few weeks of 1988. (MS 6.1.88)
The UDF and Inkatha issued a joint call for peace at the end of November. UDF leaders called for an end to violent intimidation and for restrictions to be lifted so that they could consult with their supporters. In early December the UDF organised a public rally attended by 10,000 people at which supporters were told not to retaliate violently to attacks on them. Calls for an end to the conflict were also made by Archbishop Tutu, Govan Mbeki and ANC President Oliver Tambo. But the Kwazulu leader Gatsha Buthelezi aggressively declared that there was little prospect of ending the violence, and Inkatha pulled out of local peace talks in December.
UDF efforts to stop the violence were undetermined by detentions of local and regional leaders and by State of Emergency restrictions. Up to 1,000 UDF and COSATU members were reported to have been detained during 1987 in the area. Amongst those detained were at least 30 representatives involved in the peace negotiations. (SS 25.11.87, 6.12.87; Saspu National December '87; CT 7.12.87; DN 30.12.87, 4/8.1.88)
In the first week of January South African police reinforcements were moved into the Pietermaritzburg area, a development which the UDF said would lead to further Inkatha vigilante attacks. Lawyers have collected affidavits from residents supporting claims that police have either not acted against vigilantes or stood by when vigilantes launched violent attacks. Kwazulu bantustan police are also active in the area, and have been deployed to guard the homes of Inkatha officials. This force is commanded directly by Gatsha Buthelezi, who holds the post of 'Minister of Police' in the bantustan. (Saspu National December '87; S Star 13.12.87; MS 6.1.88; SS 7.1.88)
The vigilante onslaught in the Pietermaritzburg area can be traced back to mid-1985, when Inkatha gangs attacked UDF members who were co-ordinating a consumer boycott. In response, organisations formed 'self-defence' structures. With bantustan-based authority in the area under challenge from the expansion of UDF community and youth organisations and trade unions, Inkatha initiated an intimidating recruitment drive in August last year. This sparked community resistance and violent vigilante retaliation. (S Star 13.12.87; SS 16.12.87; Star 9.1.88; GN 26.1.88)
Vigilante groups have been terrorising anti-apartheid activists throughout South Africa. Assassination squads thought to consist mainly of policemen and supporters of far-right groups like the Afrikaner Weerstandbeweging are believed to have been responsible for murdering several leading anti-apartheid campaigners. (South 23.7.87; Sehaba December '87)
In many townships gangs with names like 'Champions', 'Sharp', 'Witdoeke', 'Eagles' and 'A-Team' have become active. Some are linked to local administrative structures like Black Local Authorities, others have been set up by the police. Many are drawn from criminal gangs.
Vigilantes have been recruited as Special Constables or Municipal Police. Many, if not most of the Special Constables in the Cape Town area have been recruited from 'Witdoeke' vigilantes who attacked and partially destroyed the KTC squatter settlement in collaboration with the police in 1985. Similar recruitment patterns have been reported from the Eastern Cape. (FOCUS 69 p. 3, 74 p.8)
Areas in which there has been sustained and militant democratic organisation have been amongst the hardest hit by vigilantes. These include the East Rand and Eastern Cape townships. In Kwanobuhle and other townships near Uitenhage and Port Elizabeth, vigilantes backed by Special Constables and Municipal Police were especially active during the second half of last year.
Large-scale vigilante activity in the Uitenhage area first occurred on 4 January last year when a large mob marched through Kwanobuhle attacking the homes of youth and community leaders. Police followed the mob but made no attempt to intervene, instead arresting people attempting to escape. The vigilantes were later said to be supporters of the Ama-Afrika organisation headed by Rev Mzwandile Ebenezer Maqina. (FOCUS 69, p. 3; South 23.7.87)
Maqina claims to be an 'Africanist' and has been quoted as calling for the 'necklacing' of people who support the Freedom Charter. He has been active in black consciousness organisations, but was expelled from AZAPO in 1985 after organising attacks on the UDF, allegedly with police support. He then set up a branch of the Azanian National Youth Unity movement, but was also expelled from this organisation. (WM 13.11.87; CP 29.11.87; South 3.12.87)
Although Ama-Afrika uses Africanist rhetoric, it is clearly working hand-in-hand with the police. Maqina has been appointed head of one of the committees of the Port Elizabeth mini-Joint Management Committee (JMC), the state body responsible for overseeing 'security' in the area. JMCs co-ordinate repression by the army and police and intelligence-gathering and propaganda campaigns, under centralised military supervision. (WM 13.11.87)
Ama-Afrika vigilantes, sometimes supported by Municipal Police, terrorised community leaders and UDF supporters throughout 1987. Gangs of youths attacked residents and destroyed property. A memorial to those killed in the Langa massacre of 1985 was destroyed, and the president of the Uitenhage Residents' Congress was severely wounded in a knife attack. (WM 3.7.87; EPH 16.7.87; South 23.7.87; NN 27.8.87)
