Barend Strydom
Encyclopedia
Barend Hendrik Strydom, also known as the Wit Wolf (white wolf), is a convicted spree killer
who was sentenced to death for shooting dead seven black people (and wounding 15 more) in Strijdom Square
in Pretoria
, South Africa
on November 15, 1988. He had earlier killed a woman and injured another in a trial run in preparation for the massacre.
At time of the crime, only 23 years of age, Strydom claimed he was the leader of the "Wit Wolwe". Police later found that this was only a figment of Strydom's imagination. Strydom, who claimed to be a Christian
, meditated and prayed for a number of days before committing the crime; he later claimed that God gave him no sign that he must not carry on with his plans.
Strydom was sentenced to death, but the South African government declared a moratorium on capital punishment
in 1990. He was released in 1992 by President F W de Klerk as one of 150 political prisoners, including Robert McBride from the opposite end of the political spectrum.
Strydom was granted amnesty by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission after the first democratic elections in 1994.
Spree killer
A spree killer is someone who embarks on a murderous assault on two or more victims in a short time in multiple locations. The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics defines a spree killing as "killings at two or more locations with almost no time break between murders."-Definition:According to the...
who was sentenced to death for shooting dead seven black people (and wounding 15 more) in Strijdom Square
Johannes Gerhardus Strijdom
Johannes Gerhardus Strijdom, commonly called JG Strydom or Hans Strydom , nicknamed the Lion of the North, was Prime Minister of South Africa from 30 November 1954 to 24 August 1958...
in Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
on November 15, 1988. He had earlier killed a woman and injured another in a trial run in preparation for the massacre.
At time of the crime, only 23 years of age, Strydom claimed he was the leader of the "Wit Wolwe". Police later found that this was only a figment of Strydom's imagination. Strydom, who claimed to be a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
, meditated and prayed for a number of days before committing the crime; he later claimed that God gave him no sign that he must not carry on with his plans.
Strydom was sentenced to death, but the South African government declared a moratorium on capital punishment
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
in 1990. He was released in 1992 by President F W de Klerk as one of 150 political prisoners, including Robert McBride from the opposite end of the political spectrum.
Strydom was granted amnesty by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission after the first democratic elections in 1994.