Willem Ratte
Encyclopedia
Willem Ratte is a former member of the elite Rhodesian SAS the Rhodesian Army
, and an anti-communist
fighter in South Africa
.
Ratte was involved in the South African Defense Force's invasion of Angola
.
In 2001, Ratte was found guilty of sabotage
in the Kathu Regional Court, in relation to a 1997 break in at the Pomfret military base in the Northern Cape
. He was sentenced to seven years in prison, three years of which were suspended for five years. Ratte and ten accomplices were charged with terrorism, housebreaking, attempted theft of weapons, trespassing on a military base, and sabotage. They were convicted of only the last charge.
Willem Ratte is from German extraction and grew up between South Africa
, South-West Africa and Germany
. He was a teacher at the German school in Windhoek
. He volunteered to fight for the Rhodesian army and eventually became a decorated (Wings on Chest) soldier of the elite Rhodesian SAS. He spent six years as a soldier in the bush in Rhodesia
.
After Zimbabwe
's independence, he returned to South Africa and joined as a lieutenant in the elite 32 Battalion, the most decorated unit of the Namibian Angolan Bush War. He also trained the forces of UNITA
who were also fighting the government in Angola. When the war was over he resigned in 1991 as Kommandant.
When 32 Battalion was disbanded in 1993, Willem Ratte and his men handed over 30 one rand
coins (which had a high silver content) to President F.W. de Klerk in parliament as a symbol
of what he described as "Judas treachery
to the former soldiers who fought Marxism" in the Namibian Angolan Border.
He also started the Pretoria Boer Commando as well as Radio Pretoria.
When later started Radio Donkerhoek and transmitted from moving vehicles exercising his right to freedom of speech.
In 1995 Ratte and thirty of his men took over one of the four Boer Forts (built by Germans), Fort Schanskop in Pretoria. The government called in General Constand Viljoen
to pacify the men. Ratte escaped and later made a speech on Radio Pretoria. A few days later the police found ammunition in a special room in the museum of Fort Schanskop behind some oranges and mealie bags. Ratte was not present when the found was made, neither could the court ever prove that Ratte had anything to do with it. Ratte refused to acknowledge the validity of the court and did not speak in his defence. Judge M.C. De Witt, sentenced him to 20 years, 15 years were suspended.
In 1995 Willem Ratte laid a charge of murder against president Nelson Mandela
at the Police headquarters in Pretoria for the Shell House Massacre
where ANC members shot at Zulu protestors from the roof top of their headquarters at Shell House (now called Luthuli House).
When Ratte entered prison in 1996 he went on a hunger strike, his wife’s petitions to the Swiss and German governments to help him fell on deaf ears. In his seventh week on hunger strike about 3000 of his supporters and friends marched on the prison with South African, German, Flemish Dutch and Vierkleur flags to demand his immediate release. After 57 days and only after an appeal by his people did he end his hunger strike.
In 2010 Willem Ratte was again arrested and faced charges of illegal possession of dagga
, unlicensed firearms and ammunition . He embarked on a hunger strike from 1 October 2010 to 1 November 2010 in jail. He was released on R2000 bail.
He was referred to by Eeben Barlow
as being "simply the finest, most professional soldier ever trained by the South African Defense Force."
Rhodesian Army
The Rhodesian Security Forces consisted of the Rhodesian Army, Royal Rhodesian Air Force, British South Africa Police, Rhodesian Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Guard Force.- Rhodesian Army :...
, and an anti-communist
Anti-communism
Anti-communism is opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed in reaction to the rise of communism, especially after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947.-Objections to communist theory:...
fighter in 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...
.
Ratte was involved in the South African Defense Force's invasion of Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
.
In 2001, Ratte was found guilty of sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
in the Kathu Regional Court, in relation to a 1997 break in at the Pomfret military base in the Northern Cape
Northern Cape
The Northern Cape is the largest and most sparsely populated province of South Africa. It was created in 1994 when the Cape Province was split up. Its capital is Kimberley. It includes the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, part of an international park shared with Botswana...
. He was sentenced to seven years in prison, three years of which were suspended for five years. Ratte and ten accomplices were charged with terrorism, housebreaking, attempted theft of weapons, trespassing on a military base, and sabotage. They were convicted of only the last charge.
Willem Ratte is from German extraction and grew up between 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...
, South-West Africa and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He was a teacher at the German school in Windhoek
Windhoek
Windhoek is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level. The 2001 census determined Windhoek's population was 233,529...
. He volunteered to fight for the Rhodesian army and eventually became a decorated (Wings on Chest) soldier of the elite Rhodesian SAS. He spent six years as a soldier in the bush in Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
.
After Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
's independence, he returned to South Africa and joined as a lieutenant in the elite 32 Battalion, the most decorated unit of the Namibian Angolan Bush War. He also trained the forces of UNITA
UNITA
The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola is the second-largest political party in Angola. Founded in 1966, UNITA fought with the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola in the Angolan War for Independence and then against the MPLA in the ensuing civil war .The war was one...
who were also fighting the government in Angola. When the war was over he resigned in 1991 as Kommandant.
When 32 Battalion was disbanded in 1993, Willem Ratte and his men handed over 30 one rand
South African rand
The rand is the currency of South Africa. It takes its name from the Witwatersrand , the ridge upon which Johannesburg is built and where most of South Africa's gold deposits were found. The rand has the symbol "R" and is subdivided into 100 cents, symbol "c"...
coins (which had a high silver content) to President F.W. de Klerk in parliament as a symbol
Thirty pieces of silver
Thirty pieces of silver was the price for which Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus, according to the Gospel of Matthew 26:15 in the Christian New Testament. Before the Last Supper, Judas went to the chief priests and agreed to hand over Jesus in exchange for 30 silver coins...
of what he described as "Judas treachery
Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot was, according to the New Testament, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is best known for his betrayal of Jesus to the hands of the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver.-Etymology:...
to the former soldiers who fought Marxism" in the Namibian Angolan Border.
He also started the Pretoria Boer Commando as well as Radio Pretoria.
When later started Radio Donkerhoek and transmitted from moving vehicles exercising his right to freedom of speech.
In 1995 Ratte and thirty of his men took over one of the four Boer Forts (built by Germans), Fort Schanskop in Pretoria. The government called in General Constand Viljoen
Constand Viljoen
General Constand Viljoen SSA SD SOE SM is a former South African military commander and politician. He is partly credited with preventing the outbreak of armed violence by disaffected Afrikaners prior to the 1994 elections.-Military service:Viljoen received a degree in military science in 1955...
to pacify the men. Ratte escaped and later made a speech on Radio Pretoria. A few days later the police found ammunition in a special room in the museum of Fort Schanskop behind some oranges and mealie bags. Ratte was not present when the found was made, neither could the court ever prove that Ratte had anything to do with it. Ratte refused to acknowledge the validity of the court and did not speak in his defence. Judge M.C. De Witt, sentenced him to 20 years, 15 years were suspended.
In 1995 Willem Ratte laid a charge of murder against president Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
at the Police headquarters in Pretoria for the Shell House Massacre
Shell House massacre
On March 28, 1994, about 20 000 Inkatha Freedom Party supporters marched to Shell House, the headquarters of the African National Congress , in central Johannesburg, South Africa, in protest against the 1994 elections, which at that stage the IFP was intending to boycott.ANC security guards opened...
where ANC members shot at Zulu protestors from the roof top of their headquarters at Shell House (now called Luthuli House).
When Ratte entered prison in 1996 he went on a hunger strike, his wife’s petitions to the Swiss and German governments to help him fell on deaf ears. In his seventh week on hunger strike about 3000 of his supporters and friends marched on the prison with South African, German, Flemish Dutch and Vierkleur flags to demand his immediate release. After 57 days and only after an appeal by his people did he end his hunger strike.
In 2010 Willem Ratte was again arrested and faced charges of illegal possession of dagga
Cannabis sativa
Cannabis sativa is an annual herbaceous plant in the Cannabaceae family. Humans have cultivated this herb throughout recorded history as a source of industrial fibre, seed oil, food, recreation, spiritual enlightenment and medicine...
, unlicensed firearms and ammunition . He embarked on a hunger strike from 1 October 2010 to 1 November 2010 in jail. He was released on R2000 bail.
He was referred to by Eeben Barlow
Eeben Barlow
Lt-Col. Eeben Barlow is a former member of the apartheid-era South African Defence Force and was the second-in-command of its elite special forces 32 Battalion Reconnaissance Wing. He later served in Military Intelligence as an agent handler and later as an operative and region commander in the...
as being "simply the finest, most professional soldier ever trained by the South African Defense Force."