By Alvine Kapitako
WINDHOEK – Swapo Party has rubbished claims by a South African newspaper that stunningly claimed apartheid-era assassin Eugene de Kock has been offered a home in northern Namibia.
The Sunday Times reported on Sunday that a Swapo delegation has been visiting De Kock in prison, offering him the option of a quiet life on an isolated piece of land near the ‘Okavango’.
‘’He was offered a piece of land nearby the Okavango and will grab the opportunity if the South African government does not want him to stay [ within] South Africa’s borders,” the publication quoted a mysterious “report” attached to his application for parole.
De Kock, who headed the notorious Koevoet anti-insurgency unit in its early years is apparently considering the offer, the news article reads further.
“It’s crap. It’s not worth commenting on at all,” thundered Swapo secretary general Nangolo Mbumba, when New Era asked him if there is any truth to what was reported yesterday in the Sunday Times.
“He committed crimes here why should we want him to come back. Let South Africa deal with their own criminals,” added a very irate Mbumba.
“There is no such thing. No, Eugene is a murderer … he will not get asylum in Namibia. Don’t believe it (report) madam. It’s lies. He is a Koevoet. He is a murderer,” said Jerry Ekandjo, the Minister of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture who was among thousands of Namibians who were inhumanely incarcerated both at home and in South Africa for their political convictions.
De Kock was sentenced in 1996 for multiple counts of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping, robbery, illegal possession of a firearm with intent to cause serious injury, and fraud.
The Sunday Times reported that De Kock’s role in counterintelligence, as the commander at Vlakplaas, near Pretoria, was well documented by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission when he applied for amnesty.
De Kock turned 66 on Thursday – a day before it was announced he would be released, reads a part of the news article . The article further states that De Kock admitted that he killed hundreds of Swapo soldiers.
“Details of his friendship with Swapo, his hopes to live out the remainder of his life quietly – and perhaps remarry – are contained in reports attached to his application for parole,” the article further reads.
Ekandjo said the government would declare De Kock persona non grata (unwelcome person) should he have such aspirations. “Eugene de Kock is a murderer. He used to kill people. He is an extraordinary murderer. He is a murderer of the Namibian people,” reiterated Ekandjo.
He said De Kock, Wouter Basson nicknamed Dr Death and the feared Hans (Sterk) Dreyer, the commander of Koevoet in Namibia were murderers of Namibian people.
“When they arrested Plan fighters they put them in a helicopter and threw them into the sea,” said Ekandjo.
“They eliminated Namibian people. There is no way the Namibian Government will say such a thing. They themselves will never dream of such a thing,” added Ekandjo.
“Namibian people will never forget or forgive him,” said Ekandjo who stressed that news of Namibia offering De Kock a home is ridiculous.