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eventREF E-0012965Revised

Event record

Nico Basson says that SADF had supplied weapons and covert assistance to IFP in order to weaken the ANC

Nico Basson says that SADF had supplied weapons and covert assistance to IFP in order to weaken the ANC

Date
10 Jun 1991
Updated
30 Sep 2019
Nico Basson says that SADF had supplied weapons and covert assistance to IFP in order to weaken the ANC

Speaking before journalists, a retired army major, Mr. Nico Basson, said that the South African Defence Force (SADF) had supplied weapons (such as AK-47 assault rifles) and covert assistance to Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in order to weaken the African National Congress (ANC). IFP leader Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi denied these allegations. Basson also disclosed that the South African government had secretly decided to foster ethnic conflict, especially between Xhosa and Zulu people, as they were the largest ethnic groups in South Africa. The National party leader, Roelf Meyer, called the conflict 'Black on Black violence', denying any state involvement. Basson alleged that the South African military forces had previously carried out similar activities in Namibia to discredit the South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO)

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How we know this

  1. 01ANC ANC Submission on Media to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission [online] Available at: www.anc.org.za [Accessed on 10 June 2013]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Nico Basson says that SADF had supplied weapons and covert assistance to IFP in order to weaken the ANC. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012965

South African History Online (2011) 'Nico Basson says that SADF had supplied weapons and covert assistance to IFP in order to weaken the ANC', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012965 (Accessed: 29 August 2026).

South African History Online, Nico Basson says that SADF had supplied weapons and covert assistance to IFP in order to weaken the ANC [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012965, (accessed 29 August 2026).

"Nico Basson says that SADF had supplied weapons and covert assistance to IFP in order to weaken the ANC." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012965. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "Nico Basson says that SADF had supplied weapons and covert assistance to IFP in order to weaken the ANC." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012965.

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