WITHIN minutes of the acquittal yesterday of the former defence minister, Gen Magnus Malan, on multiple charges of murder, the National Party leader, Mr F.W. de Klerk - in whose cabinet Gen Malan served - went on the offensive politically. He demanded investigations into the alleged involvement of African National Congress, leaders in much more serious human rights violations.
Gen Malan and several highranking former military commanders, including a former defence force chief Gen Jannie Geldnhuys, and a former army chief, Gen Kat Liebenberg, were acquitted on charges of murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to murder yesterday.
Their acquittals came after six members of the Zulu based Inkatha movement were found not guilty on Thursday by Judge Jan Hugo.
The six black men had been charged with carrying out a massacre at KwaMakutha, south of Durban, in January on the orders of military officials in the defence force.
Judge Hugo found Gen Malan and his senior officers had responded to a request for paramilitary help from the Inkatha leader, Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi, but that there was nothing unlawful about that. He concluded that the state had not, proved that Gen Malan and his co accused had conspired to establish death squads and murder pro ANC cadres.
Judge Hugo had earlier ruled that the state had failed to prove beyond doubt that it was the six Inkatha men in the dock, before him who had actually carried out the massacre although he was satisfied that the perpetrators came from the ranks of the Inkatha men who had received military training.
In his reaction, Mr De Klerk expressed concern at the apparent manipulation of witnesses and their statements by investigators from a special task force set up by the ANC Safety and Security Minister, Mr Sydney Mufamadi.
The former president added that the time had arrived for investigation into and prosecutions against senior ANC leaders suspected of human rights abuses.
President Nelson Mandela told journalists that he "fully accepted, Judge, Hugo's verdict, stressing that it South Africans wanted their fledgling democracy to grow they had to respect the independence of the judiciary.