Eugene de Kock Has Finally Exposed Politicians Who Knew About Crossborder Operations

Eugene de Kock, a former police commander under apartheid, has claimed that politicians knew about clandestine cross-border operations carried out by South African security services, and that this knowledge led to his removal from office.

During his testimony on Monday, October 26, 2026, before the Khampepe Commission of Inquiry, De Kock stated the claims. Proceeding from the recommendations made by the Truth and Reconciliation panel (TRC), the panel is looking into allegations of political influence and delays in prosecuting crimes committed under apartheid.

According to De Kock, higher authorities were threatened by his knowledge of the activities and their approved individuals, thus they had to remove him since he posed a risk to the rest of the system.

According to the ex-commander of the infamous Vlakplaas unit, senior political leaders and police officials were either aware of or participated in the decisions that led to violence against anti-apartheid activists during the apartheid era, and not only the operatives who actually committed the attacks were responsible for them.

During his evidence, De Kock hinted that he knew details of the operations’ command structure, such as who gave orders, who selected targets, and the dynamics between operational units and higher-ups.

The subject of whether the individuals who were purportedly involved in the apartheid-era atrocities were thoroughly examined and punished has been brought back into the spotlight by his accusations.

De Kock oversaw the C10 counter-insurgency unit in Vlakplaas, a site linked to state-sanctioned brutality against apartheid regime opponents, in his former position as commander. Apartheid activists were one focus of its activities, and the group’s reach went far beyond South Africa’s boundaries on several occasions.

These activities were likely not the result of the acts of lone cops, as he said. He claims that higher-ups in the security establishment’s command structure were the ones who issued the orders and judgements.

The claims have further weight due to the fact that apartheid included cross-border operations in adjacent countries, with the aim of eliminating anyone the government saw as opposing its policies. Evidence presented to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission attests to past activities in nations including Swaziland (now known as Eswatini), Botswana, and Lesotho.

Some actions were carried out upon orders from higher-ranking personnel, according to De Kock’s prior allegations, and top authorities were aware of such acts.

Questions about the lack of prosecution of other persons allegedly linked to the crimes have also been raised by his attendance before the Khampepe Commission.

The ex-commander of the police force claims that he was the only one held responsible for the fallout, while others who were supposedly involved in authorising or facilitating the activities avoided punishment.

Claims that prosecution choices and political intervention caused cases from the apartheid period to be delayed after the TRC process ended are being investigated by the commission. Victims’ families have long demanded justice for their loved ones and greater understanding of the apartheid era’s atrocities, including the disappearances and deaths of innocent people.

It is important to differentiate between claims made during the inquiry and those proven by other means, such as independent investigations or legal procedures. An thorough review of the facts is necessary before drawing any conclusions about the role of certain politicians and high-ranking security officers.

With De Kock’s evidence, the larger structure underlying security activities under apartheid has once again come into sharp light, as does the question of whether or not the whole chain of command has been thoroughly examined.

Possible key takeaways from the commission’s hearings include the resources available to prosecutors, the quality of investigations, and the reasons some cases involving grave human rights crimes went unsolved for decades.

Source; https://x.com/Newzroom405/status/2114681058973098158

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