Main content

Apartheid Assassin: Time to Forgive?

After 20 years in prison, Eugene de Kock, who headed a death squad in South Africa, is seeking parole. Also, bamboo bicycles in Ghana. And actor Reese Witherspoon on new film Wild.

Eugene de Kock headed a secret state death squad which hunted down anti-apartheid activists in South Africa. In 1996 he was sentenced to 212 years in prison. Now he's seeking parole. Our reporter Mpho Lakaje spoke to two women who had family members killed under orders from de Kock.

After the collapse of her marriage and the dead of her mother, Cheryl Strayed set off on an eleven hundred mile hike down the west of the United States. She wrote a memoir called "Wild" which has now been turned into a Hollywood movie starring the actress Reece Witherspoon. Andrea Catherwood met both Reese and Cheryl.

Kwabena Danso grew up in the town of Yonso in rural Ghana. He had a tough childhood, but made it through school and went on to university. Rather than make his own fortune, Kwabena decided to use his qualifications to bring prosperity to others. He set up an organisation to start businesses which create jobs in rural areas. His latest venture is making bicycles out of bamboo which are then sold around the world.

(Photo: Jane Quinn (on the left) and Candice Mama (both images copyright Mpho Lakaje) had relatives killed by Eugene de Kock's secret state death squad).

Available now

55 minutes

Last on

Thu 22 Jan 2015 23:05GMT

Broadcasts

  • Thu 22 Jan 2015 12:05GMT
  • Thu 22 Jan 2015 23:05GMT

Contact Outlook

Contact Outlook

Info on how we might use your contribution on air

Podcast: Lives Less Ordinary

Podcast: Lives Less Ordinary

Step into someone else鈥檚 life and expect the unexpected