Petrus Johann Coetzee

Coetzee was born on the {{Birth date|df=yes|1928|03|03}} in Smithfield, Free State. He married Yvonne van Leylevid on 19 January 1952 in Johannesburg and has two children. He has degrees in political science and history.

Coetzee joined the police on 10 May 1946 in Pretoria{{Cite web |title=General PJ Coetzee |url=https://www.samirror.com/gen-pj-coetzee.html |access-date=2022-10-15 |website=South African Mirror |language=af|first1=Hennie|last1=Heymans}} at the age of 16.{{Cite news|last1=Cowell|first1=Alan|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/07/25/world/man-in-the-news-apartheid-s-policeman-johann-coetzee.html|title=Man in the News; Apartheid's Policeman: Johann Coetzee|date=1985-07-25|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-04-13|last2=Times|first2=Special To the New York|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} He started his career in the Mounted Police, including as a member of the SA Police Royal Mounted Escort during the 1947 Royal visit to South Africa. Much of his career was spent in the Security Branch, where he co-ordinated the infiltration of anti-apartheid groups such as the South African Communist Party. As a young desk officer he recruited South Africa's first secret agent, Gerard Ludi, and as Security Chief he was the mentor of Major Craig Williamson, who had great success in infiltrating the International University Fund.

On 1 June 1983 he was made Commissioner of the South African Police; he was also a member of the State Security Council. He retired in May 1987.{{Cite news|last=Staff Reporter|url=https://mg.co.za/article/1987-05-29-exit-the-general-but-dont-think-coetzees-let-go-his-power/|title=Exit the General: But don' think Coetzee's let go his power|date=29 May 1987|work=Mail and Guardian}}

While he was Commissioner, the South African Railway Police merged with the SA Police, a full-fledged Forensics branch was established and the SAP got a helicopter fleet.

{{blockquote|"After the revolution, he will be my garden boy"|Braam Fischer{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kIcHAQAAMAAJ |title=The S.A. Security Services |date=1982 |publisher=Produced by Barry Streek |language=en|page=68|series=Presscuttings supplement|first1=Barry|last1=Streek}}{{Cite book |last1=Sanders |first1=James |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_EcFAQAAIAAJ |title=Apartheid's Friends: The Rise and Fall of South Africa's Secret Service |publisher=John Murray |year=2006 |isbn=9780719566752 |edition=illustrated |page=188 |language=en}}}}

Braam Fischer, the brilliant advocate who turned underground leader of the Communist Party, was ultimately unmasked by Coetzee, and arrested through the efforts of one of his agents, Gerad Ludi. Brigadiers Roelf van Rensburg and Kalfie Broodryk were the arresting Officers.

General Coetzee was awarded the South African Police Star for Outstanding Service for the bravery he showed when he walked into the bank, unarmed, to negotiate with the MK Cadres during the Silverton Siege{{Cite web |url=http://www.sahistory.org.za/silverton-siege-1980/silverton-siege |website=South African History Online|title=Silverton Siege 1980 |access-date=15 October 2022 |archive-date=7 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140707213723/http://www.sahistory.org.za/silverton-siege-1980/silverton-siege |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |title=Silverton Siege |url=https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/silverton-siege |website=South African History Online|access-date=15 October 2022}} in Pretoria in 1981.

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Coetzee, under cross-examination by George Bizos before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, denied any involvement in several murders and other atrocities committed by the apartheid National Party government.{{Cite news|last=Staff Reporter|url=https://mg.co.za/article/1998-09-11-coetzees-fairy-tales/|title=Coetzee's 'fairy tales'|date=11 September 1998|work=Mail and Guardian}} He later applied for amnesty from the TRC in 2000.{{Cite news|last=SAPA|url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/dozen-seek-pardon-for-slaughter-in-botswana-49453|title=Dozens seek pardon for slaughter in Botswana|date=2 October 2000|work=IOL}}

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• Johan Velde van der Merwe, fellow Commissioner of the South African Police
• South African Police
• Apartheid

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{{s-bef|before=General Michiel Christian Wilhelm Geldenhuys}}

{{s-ttl|title=Commissioner of the South African Police|years=1983{{ndash}}1987}}

{{s-aft|after=General Hennie G. de Witt}}

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Category:Living people

Category:1928 births

Category:South African police officers

Category:South African white supremacists

Category:20th-century South African people

Category:Perpetrators of political repression in apartheid-era South Africa