Ben Langa

Benjamin Johnson Langa was a South African activist, poet and brother of Pius Langa, Bheki Langa and Mandla Langa. Ben was assassinated in 1984 as part of the apartheid regime's destabilisation of the ANC; an Mkhonto WeSizwe (MK) commander who was also an apartheid agent instructed two operatives to kill Langa, saying that he had betrayed the movement.[1][2] The operatives were later hanged for murder by the apartheid regime.[3] Langa's killing and its aftermath have been used to illustrate the danger of accepting without due process accusations of treachery, and by implication, of organisations which enable or condone this.[4]

Details of the killing are still disputed. There have been hints that former president of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, who was MK security chief in Swaziland (now eSwatini), was involved.[5]

  1. ^ "S.A. History Online". 29 January 2021. Archived from the original on 28 September 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  2. ^ "Court Transcript". Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  3. ^ ""Triple Murder, says Mbeki"".
  4. ^ "Impimpi accusations are 'reckless'". 22 February 2019.
  5. ^ Beresford, David (22 February 2009). "Zuma's missing years come to light". Times (South Africa). AVUSA Inc. Archived from the original on 28 February 2009. Retrieved 18 December 2022.