Does he not agree that violence only
perpetuates more violence? Why had he given the
order for the killing of civilians when negotiations
were taking place to end Apartheid? He responded:
‘Violence is never a desirable matter and if we
had had any choices then violence would not have
been a first choice. However, at that time violence
was necessary – over 20,000 African lives were
lost through State (SADF) sponsored violence… I
reasoned that the white regime needed to have
a taste of its own medicine and that African lives
should not be violated with impunity.’
Ginn and Letlapa with Terry Waite at the
Royal Geographical Society in London
liberation movement APLA that sent shock waves
through Cape Town – described as a ‘slaughter
of innocents’. Mphahlele was the APLA military
commander who ordered retaliatory attacks
and the Heidelberg Tavern massacre where Ginn
Fourie’s only daughter Lyndi aged 23 was killed.
Surprisingly, Letlapa does not shirk the
responsibility for his command in the killing of
innocent civilians nor does he shy away from the
tough decisions or controversial social issues his
country faces today. Letlapa sadly observes, ‘South
Africa is suffering from “s