-
Former apartheid spy, Craig Williamson testifies at the Cradock Four Inquest in the Gqeberha High Court in the Eastern Cape on 21 October 2025.
Former apartheid spy, Craig Williamson, has wrapped up his testimony in the Cradock Four Inquest in the Gqeberha High Court in the Eastern Cape.
Williams, who served as Section Head of the State Security Council at the time, denied any involvement with the planning or execution of Matthew Goniwe, Fort Calata, Sparrow Mkhonto and Sicelo Mhlauli, known as the Cradock Four.
Williamson’s job during apartheid was to blend into organisations like the African National Congress (ANC) and the National Union of South African Students, gather information, and feed it back to the apartheid state.
Williamson testified that their orders were to neutralise the revolutionary movement as it was a threat to the peace of the state.
“My lady, not only neutralise specific enemies of the state, but to work on neutralising the political and revolutionary onslaught being conducted against the state at that time. It wasn’t difficult to identify what has been called ‘enemies’ because these were people who were active in various revolutionary movements like the ANC, the PAC, the SACP and other organisations.”
Human Rights Advocate, Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, challenged the honesty of his testimony. However, Williamson told the court that he applied for amnesty and that it was granted at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) on three separate incidents.
Williamson says that he has been honest and forthright about all transgressions during the time of apartheid.
Ngcukaitobi: “So, you have spent your life deceiving people, you infiltrated the movements and deceived intelligent men even going as far as the London bombing. That was you right?”
Williamson: “Yes, as I testified in my TRC application, I was involved in that bombing.”
Ngcukaitobi: “And you were good at it?”
Williamson: “Yes, I have been described by some.”
Ngcukaitobi: “So, you have spent your life deceiving everyone around you, you spent your life lying and now you want us to believe that this is the only time you are telling the truth? The one time?”
Williamson: “Yes.”
Two former security branch officers, Gerrit Erasmus and Izak “Krappies” Engelbrecht, will take the stand on Wednesday, both as persons of interest.
The Cradock Four Inquest | 21 October 2025:
