Battle of Ventersdorp

The Battle of Ventersdorp on 9 August 1991 was a violent confrontation in the South African town of Ventersdorp between right wing supporters of the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB) and the police and security forces.

The confrontation took place outside the Ventersdorp town hall where State President F W de Klerk was scheduled to speak. At the time, right-wing resentment was running high following De Klerk's actions in unbanning of the African National Congress, releasing Nelson Mandela from prison the year before, and beginning negotiations to end apartheid. Amid violent right wing rhetoric and talk of Boer resistance, De Klerk's appearance in Ventersdorp, a right-wing stronghold and home town of AWB leader Eugène Terre'Blanche, became a flashpoint. The AWB called a protest in which the town was inundated by angry opponents of De Klerk, including armed paramilitary members of the AWB.

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The AWB supporters numbered 2,000. They were armed with hunting rifles and pistols and wore protective items to shield them from the effects of an inevitable teargas attack by the riot police. The police equalled the AWB in number, but were considerably better trained and equipped.

Many unconventional tactics were employed by the AWB. They allegedly wore plaster of Paris on their limbs to protect them from police dogs. Video footage shows AWB members locking arms and carrying rags and vinegar to lessen the effects of teargas. An exceptionally tall man and two smaller men created a human wall and broke through police lines, but a police officer sprayed them in the face with teargas, causing their retreat. An AWB member, who had kicked at a news camera and spat on Afrikaans, forcefully pushed a police officer. When the electricity was cut by the AWB many members bent down on the ground, as did a news camera team, to move out of the almost aimless shooting.

Terre'Blanche made a point of being on the television and said (in Afrikaans), "Where is DeKlerk? I want to talk to him. He came here armed. Here lies a man on the ground and over there lies a man" (referring to injured policemen).

Once the AWB cut the electricity and fired on the police, the police were ordered to shoot to kill. Consequently, only 3 policemen were shot, none fatal, while the police killed 1 AWB member. The AWB also fired into a police minibus. Two AWB members were killed and 13 were injured when the police returned fire from the minibus.

In all, 3 AWB members and 1 passer-by were killed. 6 policemen, 13 AWB members, and 29 civilians were injured.

The growing conflict between right-wing groupings and the government has been identified as one of the most significant developments in the course of 1991, with the Battle of Ventersdorp as its high point.^[1]

The events in Ventersdorp, as well as gains by the right-wing opposition in white by-elections, led De Klerk to call a referendum in March 1992. The referendum confirmed white support for the negotiation process, despite continued opposition from the far right.

Much of its notoriety lies in the fact that it was the first time in the 43 years of Apartheid that white police officers killed white protesters.

Following the end of apartheid, Terre'Blanche and his supporters sought amnesty for the Battle of Ventersdorp and other acts. Amnesty was granted by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.^[2]