South Africa's apartheid-era police minister Adriaan Vlok dies

Source: BBC

South Africa's apartheid-era police minister Adriaan Vlok dies

8 January 2023

A notorious police minister during white minority rule in South Africa, Adriaan Vlok, has died aged 85.

He played a key role in enforcing the racist system of apartheid, with police running hit squads that kidnapped, tortured and murdered activists.

Vlok confessed to some of his crimes after apartheid ended in 1994 and was granted amnesty.

He also washed prominent anti-apartheid cleric Rev Frank Chikane's feet in 2006 in a gesture of contrition.

His critics saw it as a stunt to gain sympathy, and to avoid making a full disclosure of all the crimes committed by the apartheid regime.

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Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-64202368


Adriaan Vlok brutally enforced apartheid but then sought redemption (Getty Images)