Boipatong massacre
{{Short description|1992 massacre in South Africa}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Use South African English|date=August 2012}}
{{Infobox civilian attack
| title = Boipatong massacre
| image = {{Location map |South Africa
| width = 250
| lat_deg = -26.6697
| lon_deg = 27.8517
| label = Boipatong
}}
| image_size =
| caption =
| date = {{start date and age|df=yes|1992|6|17}}
| location = Boipatong, South Africa
| coordinates =
| fatalities = 45
| injuries =
| perpetrators = Supporters of the Inkatha Freedom Party
}}
The Boipatong massacre took place on the night of 17 June 1992 in the township of Boipatong, South Africa.
Massacre
The attack on township residents was carried out by armed men from the steelworks residence KwaMadala Hostel, which is located about 1 km from the township.{{cite web|author=BILL KELLERPublished: 20 June 1992 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/06/20/world/south-african-massacre-fingers-point-at-the-police.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm |title=South African Massacre: Fingers Point at the Police|work=The New York Times |date=1992-06-20 |accessdate=2014-01-08}} Forty-five people died and several were maimed.{{cite web|title=Truth Commission - Special Report|url=http://www.sabctrc.saha.org.za/glossary/boipatong_massacre.htm?t=%2BBoipatong+%2Bmassacre&tab=victims&start=60|publisher=SABC|accessdate=29 June 2014|quote=Forty-five people died and 27 others were seriously injured on 17 June 1992|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140629110120/http://www.sabctrc.saha.org.za/glossary/boipatong_massacre.htm?t=+Boipatong++massacre&tab=victims&start=60|archivedate=29 June 2014|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|last1=Smith|first1=Janet|title=The Boipatong massacre: 20 years on|url=http://www.iol.co.za/the-star/the-boipatong-massacre-20-years-on-1.1318617#.U6_wUJSSyyg|accessdate=29 June 2014|work=The Star|date=14 June 2012|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928193147/http://www.iol.co.za/the-star/the-boipatong-massacre-20-years-on-1.1318617|archivedate=28 September 2013|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=South African History Online|title=Scores of people are killed in Boipatong, Vaal|url=http://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/armed-hostel-inmates-shoot-and-hack-their-way-through-black-township-boipatong-leaving-f|accessdate=16 June 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nelsonmandela.org/omalley/index.php/site/q/03lv02039/04lv02133/05lv02139/06lv02146.htm |title=Waddington Report - The O'Malley Archives |publisher=Nelsonmandela.org |accessdate=2014-01-08}}
The attackers were supporters of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), rival party of the African National Congress (ANC).{{cite web|url=http://www.nelsonmandela.org/omalley/index.php/site/q/03lv02039/04lv02133/05lv02139/06lv02144.htm |title=The Boipatong massacre revisited - The O'Malley Archives |publisher=Nelsonmandela.org |date=2000-11-30 |accessdate=2014-01-08}} At the time, the South African government and several other political groups were negotiating in the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) talks. Shortly after the massacre, it was claimed by members of the African National Congress that the South African Police in cooperation with the IFP had organised the raid, and the ANC consequently stepped out of the negotiations.[http://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/biapotong-massacre-takes-place] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110908062925/http://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/biapotong-massacre-takes-place|date=8 September 2011}} It was also suggested{{by whom|date=April 2013}} that the raid formed part of the activities of the South African Defence Force's Operation Marion. The ANC resumed negotiations shortly after the Bisho massacre of 7 September 1992.
The massacre was mentioned in the United Nations Security Council Resolution 765 of 16 July 1992.{{cite web|author=United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees |url=http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/3b00f16448.html |title=Refworld | Resolution 765 (1992) Adopted by the Security Council at its 3096th meeting, on 16 July 1992 |publisher=Unhcr.org |accessdate=2014-01-08}}
A criminal trial held in 1993, which included testimony of 120 Boipatong residents, convicted IFP supporters of crimes in the massacre, but ruled that the police had played no part in it. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) concluded in 1998 that the police were in fact involved in the raid, but the TRC's Amnesty Committee found in 2000 that the police were not involved after all.
Further controversy
In an interview with journalist Rian Malan in October 1998, Sergeant Gerhardus "Pedro" Peens, who claimed not to have been in Boipatong at the time of the massacre, admitted to being in Boipatong investigating a murder, driving a Casspir, but claimed that he had left prior to the massacre. Peens had previously denied having been at Boipatong in a Casspir at all. Peens' statement was later considered by the TRC in their investigations.{{cite web|last=Staff Reporter|title=Cracks in Boipatong Story|url=http://www.mg.co.za/article/1999-01-22-cracks-in-boipatong-story|work=Mail and Guardian|accessdate=16 June 2012|date=22 January 1999}} Peen's admission was prompted by the application for amnesty by sixteen Inkatha Freedom Party members for their part in the Boipatong massacre.{{cite web|last=Truth and Reconciliation Commission|title=TRC Statement on Killing of Boipotang Residents, 2 July 1998|url=http://www.info.gov.za/speeches/1998/98703_0y3949810739.htm|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131221205359/http://www.info.gov.za/speeches/1998/98703_0y3949810739.htm|archivedate=21 December 2013}}
The Goldstone Commission appointed Peter Waddington to make an independent enquiry.{{cite web|last=Waddington|first=Peter|title=Waddington report on Boipatong|url=http://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/waddington-report-boipatong-released|accessdate=16 June 2012}} His report was released on 22 July 1992. It stated that there was no evidence of police collusion in the killings.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Political history of South Africa}}
{{Coord|26|39|49|S|27|51|00|E|type:event_region:ZA|display=title}}
Category:1990s massacres in South Africa