BOOK EXTRACT: Weapons, guerrillas and money — how Chris Hani built smuggling routes into SA

In Chris Hani: A Life of Courage and Compassion, the first authorized biography of the guerrilla commander, revolutionary, and South African Communist Party leader, the secret machinery for smuggling weapons, guerrillas, money, and political material into South Africa is explored in-depth. Hani, whose assassination significantly impacted South African history, was resourceful in smuggling weapons into the country.

One example involves Limpho Hani, whose employment at the Lesotho National Tourist Office allowed her to connect with a driver named Mashapha Nkuebe.

Nkuebe, a driver of a Toyota HiAce minibus, ferried tourists from various parts of South Africa into Maseru, Lesotho, where they would visit different tourist attractions. During his travels, Nkuebe transported arms and ammunition in his vehicle to several cities, including East London and Matatiele. Hani himself would load the weapons, called "parcels" by Nkuebe, at Sekhoane Lebentlele’s place near Iketsetseng Private School.

Nkuebe would then drive the "parcels" through the night to East London or Matatiele, where they would be received by a sleeper who would transport them to a designated arms cache.

Nkuebe would return to Lesotho with a new batch of innocent tourists, often disguised among them. One occasion led to their arrest in Lesotho; Hani, disguised as a tourist, was in the minibus, and the Lesotho Mounted Police seized the weapons. Another time, Hani was directly in the minibus as they crossed the border into South Africa. The Afrikaner police recognized him from their intelligence sources and searched the vehicle, leading to Nkuebe's termination from his job at the tourist office.

Notably, Hani's resourcefulness in smuggling weapons into South Africa was crucial for the ANC's sabotage operations. Lesotho citizens like Nkuebe, who had no personal gain and were never paid, played an essential role. Hani also recruited friends of Limpho Hani, such as Mophethe Sekamane, Reggie Tekateka, Moss Nkofo, Bonner Nelson Seakhoa, Chuku Ntšihlele, and Bataung Mohapeloa, who later worked with him to advance the freedom struggle against the apartheid regime.