LINCOLNSHIRE WOMAN CLEARED BY POLICE IN TAMBO CASE
BBC, 3 January 1991
An unnamed 49 year-old woman from Lincolnshire has been questioned and released by local police after her number plate was found to have matched one reported on the vehicle that struck and killed South African anti-apartheid activist Oliver Tambo on Sunday. The vehicle she owned did not match the make, model, nor colour of the car reported at the scene of his death in North London. This appears to indicate that the number plate on the vehicle that killed Tambo was either misidentified, or somehow forged, landing further suspicion at the hands of the South African government. In a statement, Tambo's colleague and Secretary-General of the African Nation Congress Alfred Nxo, accused the country's intelligence services of carrying out an overseas political assassination, adding "This is not the first time - not even in Europe - and won't be last". The South African embassy hit back, accusing the ANC of being motivated by "pure naked opportunism of the lowest, most blatant kind", and continuing to refer to the death as "accidental". Meanwhile, domestic pressure is increasing on the British government to take action against South Africa. Douglas Hurd, minister of foreign affairs, called for "calm and level-headedness" as investigations continue.
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House of Commons, 3 January 1991
"Does the Prime Minister think that it is a good idea to let foreign actors get away with extrajudicial executions on our own soil, based on perceived geopolitical or ideological interests? The true image that is emerging of what happened just four days ago does not appear to point to a mere accident, but to a deliberate, calculated attempt to get away with murder - and one with a political motivation at that. Yet the response of our government seems to have been an effort to downplay things, in the face of potentially offending a country with a human rights record that has been condemned across the globe. This is not to mention that the Conservative Party has a history of failing to take a strong approach against the policies of apartheid. What does our government plan to do in response to an incident such as this taking place on home soil?" - Neil Kinnock, Leader of the Opposition
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Meanwhile, in Pretoria....
Tension pervaded the atmosphere. An urgent State Security Council meeting, held at noon, on a hot summer's day. "Who the HELL authorized this!?" yelled the President. The rest of the room stared at him, with blank expressions on their faces. "Sir, assuming this was not in fact an accident..." began his Secretary of Defence, Magnus Malan, "...then this attack was presumably undertaken by rogue factions within the security forces. I for one, had no prior indication that such an attack was im-" "Then who exactly was involved in these so-called 'rogue factions'? If we cannot even fully control the arm of the state, then what hope do we have at reaching a settlement for the future of this country?", interrupted an audibly impatient President Botha. Another, awkward, heated silence spread throughout the room. Sweat visible on the foreheads of men in suits all around. A voice began to respond. "Mr President, if I may... I will conduct a thorough internal review of the NIS to find out who exactly is responsible for this recent incident. We cannot allow unauthorized activities such as this to go unpunished. Botha wiped his forehead and sighed. "This is about more than our own internal discipline. Potential for a negotiated solution has been greatly diminished. By undertaking such a high-profile operation within Britain, portions of our own forces have only made us even more of an international pariah. First de Klerk, now Tambo, who's next?" The room began to feel more subdued, albeit no less anxious. Adriaan Vlok, the Minister of Law and Order, was the first to answer him. "I think it is important to remember the work that our forces that have done in the face of what we are up again. It's only been weeks since the communists bombed Summ-" "Do you really think the world gives a shit about Port Elizabeth!?" Vlok's eyes dilated with shock and disbelief as to what his own President had blurted out. "Our country is falling apart in front of the world's very eyes. And that world is not on our side... always keep that in mind." Regaining his composure, the President added "I apologize for my outburst. But it is important that everyone linked to our state or our forces acts with this in mind at
all times. I hope that everyone serving our country gets this message." Vlok nodded. "Yes, sir."
While on his own shortly after the meeting, Botha remembered the other thing that was coming up. Not his upcoming visit to Poland, but something sooner than that. Winnie Mandela. Due to be sentenced in just five days. And this goes and happens. He winced and leaned back. He knew that next Tuesday would not be a good day.