“In probing this troubled and quiet past, van Vuuren productively ruptures a comfortable separation between the apartheid era and contemporary South Africa. ‘The current struggle against corruption in South Africa,” he concludes, “is undermined by a basic lack of appreciation of the nature of that corruption and the criminal networks that facilitate it—namely, that they are…
“It’s not very often that a book really reshapes our perception of an issue, but Hennie van Vuuren’s “Apartheid, Guns and Money: a tale of profit” is one. It is a massive work: over 600 pages and the result of a decade of meticulous, painstaking work.” ~ Martin Plaut (School of Advanced Study), The Conversation
“When secretive evil deeds are covered in darkness they prosper. From apartheid-era asset stripping they have probably mutated and continue to influence our democratic dispensation. This work shines a light, revealing many uncomfortable truths. It provides important lessons on unfinished business and the need for us now more than ever to find pathways to integrity.…
“This important book seeks to uncover one of the key secrets of the last decades of the apartheid era, how the National Party government sought to defeat the international arms embargo. It serves as a timely reminder that the founding values of our new Constitution, that government must be accountable, responsive and open, were a…
“By the time you get to the last page of Hennie van Vuuren’s excellent new book, you’ll hopefully understand why South Africans have such little appetite for the past. For, as van Vuuren shows in this passionate and meticulously researched book, ours is an undigested and perhaps indigestible history; that is, we have yet to tuck…
“In this brilliant, revelatory book van Vuuren forensically reveals the systemic corruption of apartheid and the collusion between the state, local and foreign businesses and governments at its core. This dark chapter in our history is essential to understand and progress beyond the current spiral of corruption, collusion and state capture that bedevils our young…
“A labour of political passion, this admirably well-researched book is a must-read. Its most important achievement is to show that illicit trade does not occur in some parallel realm detached from corporate boardrooms and governments; it is stitched into the fabric of statecraft and the exercise of power.” ~ Jonny Steinberg, author and Professor of African…