Khampepe Commission: Rietbok Crash Inquiry Reopened, Cover-Up Suspected

• Robyn Lichter testified before the Khampepe Commission of Inquiry regarding the 1967 Springbok Flight 406 "Rietbok" crash, which killed 25 people, including her father Joseph Blankfield.
• Lichter, representing crash victims' families, alleged a state "cover-up" and influenced investigations into the incident.
• Among the deceased was Professor Johannes Petrus van Schalkwyk Bruwer, a 52-year-old academic and acting chair of the Afrikaner Broederbond, who was an adviser to Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd.
• Bruwer was reportedly disillusioned with Afrikaner nationalist rule and working on a "five-year plan" for the country, leading Lichter to suggest his death altered South African history.
• The Khampepe Commission is investigating post-Truth and Reconciliation Commission prosecution delays, providing a forum for addressing such historical allegations.

Lichter asserted that if Bruwer had succeeded in his intentions, the history of South Africa "would have been very different," suggesting his demise effectively "wiped out" a potential turning point.

A recent inquiry has revisited the tragic 1967 crash of Springbok Flight 406, known as the "Rietbok," which plunged into the ocean off Kayser's Beach, East London, claiming the lives of all 25 individuals on board. Among the passengers were Joseph Blankfield and Professor Johannes Petrus van Schalkwyk Bruwer, whose presence on the ill-fated flight has prompted renewed scrutiny into the circumstances surrounding the disaster.

Robyn Lichter, who was 11 years old when her father, Joseph Blankfield, perished in the crash, recently provided testimony to the Khampepe Commission of Inquiry. Now 70, Lichter represents the families of the victims and shared their long-held suspicions of a state "cover-up" and investigations that were either influenced or deliberately halted. Her testimony on September 4 underscored the enduring questions surrounding the incident, nearly six decades later.

Central to the renewed interest in the 1967 Kayser's Beach plane crash is the figure of Professor Johannes Petrus van Schalkwyk Bruwer. At 52 years old, Bruwer was a prominent academic and served as the acting chair of the secretive Afrikaner Broederbond, a powerful nationalist organization. He had a close relationship with former prime minister Hendrik Verwoerd, acting as his friend, speechwriter, and adviser on African affairs.

According to Lichter's testimony, Bruwer was a man poised to significantly alter the course of South African history. He was reportedly developing a "five-year plan" for the nation and had come to terms with the inevitable failure of white, minority, Afrikaner nationalist rule. His son, Johan Bruwer, a subeditor with City Press, later revealed that his father was "deeply disillusioned" when he boarded the Vickers Viscount Rietbok that afternoon. Lichter asserted that if Bruwer had succeeded in his intentions, the history of South Africa "would have been very different," suggesting his demise effectively "wiped out" a potential turning point.

The Khampepe Commission of Inquiry, tasked with investigating delays in prosecutions stemming from the post-Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) era, provides a critical platform for addressing historical grievances like those surrounding the 1967 Rietbok crash. Lichter's testimony highlights how past events, particularly those shrouded in allegations of state interference, continue to resonate within the framework of seeking justice for historical injustices.

By bringing the alleged state "cover-up" of the Springbok Flight 406 incident before the commission, the families of the victims are seeking accountability and transparency decades after the event. The commission's proceedings offer a formal avenue to re-examine long-standing suspicions and potentially uncover new information regarding the 1967 Kayser's Beach plane crash, aligning with its broader mandate to address unresolved issues from South Africa's complex past.

This article highlights ongoing efforts to address historical injustices and alleged state cover-ups through commissions of inquiry. Lawyers specializing in public law, human rights, or historical accountability should monitor the Khampepe Commission's proceedings and findings for potential precedents, new avenues for legal action, or implications for state liability related to past events.

Source: Original reporting via Daily Maverick