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Wouter Basson | |
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| Born | 6 July 1950 |
Wouter Basson (born 6 July 1950) is a South African cardiologist and former head of the country's secret chemical and biological warfare project, Project Coast, during the apartheid era.[1] Nicknamed "Dr. Death" by the press for his alleged actions in apartheid South Africa, Basson was acquitted in 2002 of 67 charges, after having been suspended from his military post with full pay in 1999.[2]
Among other charges, Basson was alleged to have supplied a "lethal triple cocktail of powerful muscle relaxants which were used during Operation Duel (the systematic elimination of SWAPO prisoners of war and South African Defence Force [SADF] members who posed a threat to South African covert operations).[3][4] The United Nations report "Project Coast: Apartheid's Chemical and Biological Warfare Programme."[1] identifies the triple cocktail as ketamine, succinylcholine, and tubocurarine.[1]
In 2021, the revelation that he was working at a Western Cape Mediclinic facility caused consternation and protests against the company.[5]
- ^ a b c Project Coast: Apartheid's Chemical and Biological Warfare Programme (PDF). United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research. February 2003. ISBN 9290451440. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 September 2012.
- ^ "'Dr Death' acquitted in South Africa". BBC News. 11 April 2002. Retrieved 9 February 2009.
- ^ "The life, trial and hats of Wouter Basson". 27 January 2001.
- ^ "South Africa's 'Dr Death' Was Accused of Selling Ravers Super Strength MDMA". Vice. 4 November 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
- ^ Head, Tom (19 January 2021). "Wouter Basson, apartheid's 'Dr. Death', revealed to be working at a Mediclinic". The South African. Retrieved 19 January 2021.