Talking Books Ep 41: The Man Who Killed Apartheid: The Life of Dimitri Tsafendas

On 6 September 1966 a man called Dimitri Tsafendas stabbed to death during a parliamentary session the then Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoed. History remembers him as mentally unstable. Chris Bishop is in the chair for this episode of Talking Books and discusses a controversial new book The Man Who Killed Apartheid: The Life of Dimitri Tsafendas with the author Harris Dousemetzis. Dousemetzis calls for the historical record to be changed to reflect that Tsafendas was a sane man who committed a political assassination.

[@tommaroesmaroes1523]

This was a revolutionary a man among man.l don't understand why he wasn't given amnesty ?a public holiday should be declared for him in South Africa

[@TD1237]

I agree about the amnesty thing. Maybe its because of the backIash it would have gotten, idk. Just yesterday I saw some Afrikaners online saying apatheid was good and speaking iII of bIack people in general. To think that level of raclsm still exists here today makes you wonder how it would have been in 1999. Still though, they definitely should have granted amnesty.

[@festuspendaasino2010]

I still dont understand why the ANC goverment could not give Tsafendas clemency after the end of apartheid

[@jackmacfakie1387]

After twenty plus years of torture the poor guy was finally mentally ill.

[@khayangcatshe4084]

This is a hero who really stopped this monster from going ahead in his cruelty against humanity...it’s just that no one is talking about it not famous as Nelson Mandela’s but a great man of Africa..

[@caprovinevoerkraal4018]

Seems Tsafendas isn't the only guy who isn't insane.

[@mwroysan]

Tsafendas stayed at my Granny's place in Durban South Africa in 1964

[@thatomnguni9044]

Dimitri Tsafendas, thank you for killing The Bastard

[@gatshenindlovu8224]

I don't know why this legend is not celebrated in SA, talking about double standards in our politics there

[@WilfredMoraba-bj7yv]

We ought to promote this GLORIOUS name DIMITRI Tsafendas

[@amukelanimkansi2024]

Wow I wish everyone can read this book. Oh my God, the nicest book so far .

[@psource2305]

One of the most interesting statements in the book is a reference to two cabinet ministers of Verwoerd's NP government holding a private party that evening to celebrate the event. Tsafendas was never recognized as a hero by any left-wing, communist, or African national liberation movement. The SA governments under Vorster and Botha simply tried to hide Tsafendas away in jail dismissing him as a lunatic and irrelevant footnote to history. Fast forward a couple of decades and we see the very convenient murder of Chris Hani and another bunch of unanswered questions, with no attempt by the post 1994 governments to uncover the truth about Tsafendas.

[@carcher3279]

"I can't remember now what his name is" @11:14 I know the name that he is referring to is: L. Ron Hubbard founder of the church of Scientology.

[@ZinhleKhoza-e2u]

I like this guy.

[@randallthieras6335]

The host dies not mention the book title ONCE in this interview.

[@christok487]

0:30 Correction.....He was a prime minister not a president of South Africa. Great article though.

[@caprovinevoerkraal4018]

Who is interested in tiny little details, when spinning a story? Probably the least problem with the book.

[@kmfw72]

It's been such a long time since South Africa had a prime minister, 1984, people there have forgotten it ever had one.

[@nicovanzyl2059]

I ask the following questions and then I will say what I believe what happened. was Tsafendas a South African citizen ?. NO !!!!. Who was the person giving him the job as a " messenger " in parliament ?. Very convenient, to get past the security. My conclusion ?. PM Verwoerd`s own party who was in power of the Parlement house those days killed him through Tsafendas.

[@psource2305]

He may also have been manipulated by foreign intelligence services by way of the obscure Christian Church sect to which he belonged.

[@tommaroesmaroes1523]

Does anybody know the day that Dimitri died please

[@animeshroypainter]

Dimitri_Tsafendas: Born 14 January 1918 Lourenço Marques, Portuguese Mozambique Died 7 October 1999 (aged 81) Krugersdorp, Gauteng, South Africa en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimitri_Tsafendas

[@tommaroesmaroes1523]

@@animeshroypainter thank you very much bless you

[@henniecronje2868]

Why not take the time to write a book on Hendrik Verwoerd's childhood, upbringing and young life?

[@redalert2bydimitri295]

Go on then! Why wait for a Greek professor to write a book about a Boer?

[@tommaroesmaroes1523]

@@redalert2bydimitri295 l would rather write one about the man who fought apartheid single handedly

[@evanswaby6785]

Dimitri Tsafendas is a hero god bless Dimitri Tsafendas you should of been recognised as a hero much love God give you a comfortable place in heaven ♥️♥️