Cape Town - Eugene de Kock was asked to leave a Franschhoek Literary Festival cocktail event as some writers and publishers were “visibly upset” by his presence.
Author Lauren Beukes said some writers and publishers whose families had first-hand experience of the activities of the apartheid government’s C1 counter-insurgency unit headed up by De Kock were “visibly upset” by his presence and she said there was even talk of a walk-out.
“But I was angry that the writers should have to leave an event celebrating them.”
That is when she decided to walk over to De Kock and ask him to leave.
“I asked him if he was Eugene de Kock and he said yes, then I told him it was inappropriate that he was there and told him that people are in tears that you are here and I think you should leave.”
De Kock responded by saying Thank you for telling me” and he left without protest, Beukes said.
De Kock, who is also known as “Prime Evil” was granted parole last year for the murders he committed during apartheid. He had served 20 years of his two life sentences.
He had initially been sentenced to 212 years behind bars for the atrocities committed.
He had been keeping a low profile and was spotted on Friday and Saturday at the festival.
The Franschhoek Literary Festival said it did not offer De Kock an invitation to attend its event and was shocked to see him there.
News 24 reported that De Kock was seen walking around the three-day conference with Anemari Jansen, who wrote a book about him.
Eugene de Kock: Assassin for the State, is the comprehensive investigation into the life of De Kock. The book, which includes innumerable hours of in-depth conversations with De Kock while in prison, is based on his diaries, prison writings and psychological reports.
Eyewitness News reported that the Sunday Times, which is one of the festival’s sponsors, said it was aware that the apartheid-era killer would be attending its short-list announcement party, adding that the former apartheid police officer was invited by his publishing house, NB Publishers.
It was reported that invitations had been sent out to publishing houses who then in turn sent them to their authors.
Cape Argus