08:01 ET<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nMagnus Malan, the defence minister who led apartheid South Africa’s resistance to black rule, has died aged 81.<\/p>\n
He led the white minority government’s “total onslaught” strategy.<\/p>\n
This included bombing southern African countries which supported the overthrow of apartheid and declaring a state of emergency in South Africa to end pro-democracy protests.<\/p>\n
He became the first minister to go on trial for apartheid-era atrocities but was acquitted in 1996.<\/p>\n
Gen Malan served as defence minister for 11 years until 1991, when then-President FW de Klerk removed him under pressure from Nelson Mandela.<\/p>\n
Mr Mandela accused Gen Malan of setting up hit squads to kill ANC activists and destabilise South Africa ahead of democratic elections.<\/p>\n
These took place in 1994, with the ANC winning a landslide and Mr Mandela becoming South Africa’s first black president.<\/p>\n
During the 1980s, Gen Malan sanctioned raids against anti-apartheid fighters in Angola, Lesotho, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe.<\/p>\n
He went on trial on charges of links to the killing of 13 people in KwaZulu-Natal province in 1987 and for illegally giving paramilitary training to black opponents of the ANC.<\/p>\n
He denounced the trial as a “dark day” for South Africa’s fledgling democracy, while ANC activists blamed his acquittal on an apartheid-era judge presiding over the case.<\/p>\n
He also led the talks which paved the way for Namibia’s independence in 1990, ending its status as a South African colony.<\/p>\n
His family said he died peacefully at home and is survived by his wife, three children and nine grandchildren.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n
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