Bekkersdal Hand-grenade attack 1994 (South Africa)

Hand grenade attack February 1994

19 beseer, 1 dood in granaat-aanvalle

JOHANNESBURG. Negentien mense, onder wie drie polisiemanne en vyf IVP-lede, is beseer en 'n IVP-lid dood ná twee handgranaat-aanvalle gister voor en tydens 'n begrafnis van 'n IVP-ondersteuner op Bekkersdal aan die Wes-Rand. Volgens kol. Tienie Halgryn, skakeloffisier van die Polisie aan die Wes-Rand, is vyf IVP-lede gis teroggend beseer toe 'n eiegemaakte handgranaat tussen 'n groep mense onderweg na die begrafnis ontplof het. Volgens kol. Halgryn het 'n onbekende man die handgranaat tussen 'n groep IVP-lede by 'n taxi- staanplek gegooi. Die granaat het ontplof. Die beseerdes is na die Leratong-Hospitaal gebring, waar hulle vir skrapnelwonde behandel is. Hul toestand is bevredigend. Die tweede aanval kort daarna, ten tyde van die begrafnisdiens, het by 'n kerk op Bekkersdal plaasgevind. Die handgranaat het tussen 'n groep polisiemanne ontplof. 'n IVP-lid is dood en drie polisiemanne beseer. Die polisiemanne se toestand is stabiel. Volgens kol. Halgryn was dié aanval beslis op die polisiemanne gemik. Hy het gesê politieke partye was tot dusver traag om te reageer ná 'n gesamentlike operasie-sentrum Vrydag op Bekkersdal deur die Polisie in die lewe geroep is in 'n poging om die geweld hok te slaan. ``Tot dusver was dit nog net die vredesmonitors wat van die sentrum se dienste gebruik gemaak het,'' het kol. Halgryn gesê.
http://152.111.1.87/argief/berigte/di...

Bekkersdal grenade attack 27 February 1994: IFP. ANC. AZAPO
After all these years I still remember this day well, as it was a long and tiring day. There were actually sections from other units there that to assist; trouble was expected as the IFP had to cross SDU/ANC territory. This day was the culmination of 4 days worth of political violence (mini war) in this area, this was week of long shifts and very little sleep
We had formed a protective column with our armoured vehicles (Casspir, Nyala) by driving bumper to bumper to form a strong physical barrier; we were around 20 armoured vehicles these types of actions can be very dynamic to say the least. There were also many members on foot serving as a human wall, but as usual spread very thinly – the Zulus are a very lively group always ready for a fight. The grenade attack that injured the unit member (photo) was about 20 meters from my position, after that the funeral procession just carried on to the next attack.
When the column/procession got past the taxi rank the SDU’s opened fire on the group, yet another surreal experience to actually watch people firing in your general direction from a taxi rank with AK47 rifles. Interesting to see the crowd take cover and move forward when the units provide cover, then to be honest the IFP (Zulu impi) were high on muthi.
Working in an ABS-ISD unit is nothing you can really put on paper; this IFP group was attacked with grenades and AK47’s, but they carry on when common sense says go home. Bekkersdal was a relatively small township, but it was dangerous.
This kind of work was really strange in that you couldn’t really explain in to others, and definitely not to a European or American.

Political Violence in South Africa
1.Anthony Minnaar
Abstract
In recent years the conflict in Natal has been described as a low-intensity civil war while on the Reef (the PWV region) it has been called an undeclared war and there have even been references to `ethnic cleansing'. But in both cases it is more complex than any of these definitions since there are a number of different elements to the violence. This study shows how it is not simply a struggle between the forces opposing the undemocratic system as represented by apartheid and those governmental structures upholding the status quo. It goes further than that; it is not only a reflection of the changing political situation in South Africa but also stems from demographic and other social conditions (rapid urbanization, proliferation of squatter settlements and competition for resources).
Published July 1994
http://jtp.sagepub.com/content/6/3/38