Some More of Machel - here we go again

[Rhodie]

From todays Mail and Guardian.. (hum "When will it ever end" while reading...) AFRICA


SA will get to bottom of Machel air crash

Maputo, Mozambique

15 February 2004 09:22


South Africa's Deputy President Jacob Zuma promised Mozambicans on Saturday that the truth about an air crash that claimed the life of their communist leader Samora Machel in 1986 would be uncovered.

Machel, Mozambique's first president, died while returning from a Southern African Development Community peace summit in Zambia when the plane he was travelling in crashed in northern South Africa on October 19 1986.

"Mozambique even sacrificed its revolutionary leader Samora Machel, for our cause," Zuma said at a church service in the capital Maputo in memory of 12 militants from South Africa's ruling African National Congress who were killed by apartheid agents near Maputo in 1981.

South African investigators claimed that Machel's accident was caused by human error but the Mozambican government dismissed their findings.

Mozambican experts said the plane had been diverted from its course by a pirate radio beacon operating on the same frequency as a similar one used at Maputo airport.

The Russian-built Tupolec aircraft later slammed into a group of hills.

Zuma said the South African government would not rest until the truth about the crash was revealed.

"The uncovering of the truth around Samora Machel's death will be an important way of thanking Mozambique for its sacrifice for our country," he told the religious ceremony, which was attended by Methodist clergymen and bishops, politicians and members of the ANC.

South Africans voted in their first multiracial election in April 1994, when the former freedom fighter Nelson Mandela was elected as president.

"There are no words in any human language to describe Mozambique's sacrifice for our freedom and democracy," Zuma said. -- Sapa-AFP

Ah, so "arms deal / kick-back / lets have another wife / who, me? / potato-bake" Zuma says so... then it must be true...

[126.9]

So, there it is then: Mozambique even sacrificed its revolutionary leader Samora Machel, for our cause. That will be the official finding. Zuma declared so in church, and he only lies to his mother, but never in the presence of God! :yuk:

[ANVAK]

How can you doubt the man?
Our great (absent) leader tells us that Aids is not caused by a virus, our Health Minister tells us that garlic will cure Aids, so Zuma can tell us the truth as he perceives it... two boards of enquiry must surely be wrong.:rolleyes:

[bluesafrica]

Sure sounds like the country is in the good hands!
Blues:{

[Deanw]

I was never involved in the crash of Tupolev, but I have heard the cockpit recorder transcripts, read the official BOI cockpit transcript, touched a few of the cockpit instruments (a few years after the incident I hasten to add) and have attended lectures by and spoken to a senior SAAF officer who was involved in the BOI and visited Russia (in the height of apartheid) as part of the BOI.

I've no reason to suspect the officer, who I'd known professionaly for a number of years, to lie or stand back from the truth.

Even after all these years and the TRC, nobody has come forward to say anything else than what the BOI found. IIRC, the crew were drinking, entered the wrong frequency and homed onto the wrog nav beacon. The cockpit discipline (or lack thereof) must be heard to be believed :sad:

AFAIK, Russia was intimitely involved in the BOI, they deciphered the data recorders, so why have they not said anything? :confused: :rolleyes:

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Hearing after hearing will be convened until an outcome that suits the ruling kleptocracy is reached. A truth manipulated in this way is simply a lie but as we all know a suitable lie is more believable than the truth.:(

We're stuffed, guys......

[V1 Rotate]

There is no-one in the ANC with the aptidude or knowledge to change a bicycle tyre never mind grasp the implications of the events that lead to the Machel prang.

I have also had the benifit of examining all the evidence and I firmly believe that this accident was the result of nothing less than gross criminal incompetence in the cockpit.

V1

[SortieIII]

A few years back 702's then "investigative reporter" was trumpeting the false beacon theory, as well as claiming that she was in possesion of the "facts" surrounding this accident. She invited comment, and so I phoned and challenged her to produce these "facts". All I got was some nonsense about it being a "sensitive issue". I left my number with her, but I am still waiting for a response!

I guess it's election time, so all the old BS is trotted out to stir up the voting cattle.

[Gunship]

Eischh old Gunzzz is always where he is not supposed to be.

I was at the accident within hours and took the BOI out (Graham Rochat and co ..)

Seen it all. I do trust the BOI to this day.

I also think it is just a political card that is being played.

A week before I casevaced a few young soldiers and 4 dead bodies (I think) from about 100 metres from the crash site.

The "rooi gevaar" / Terrs from Mozambique planted the landmine.

So I had no bad feelings for the dead lying there - actually the opposite.

[Rhodie]

Roger that Gunsss

Reminds me of the time I went back to Tete on a private charter - took a casual walk around while waiting for the pax to return (but not too far from the terminal, and NO camera..) to have a look at the 'other' side of the field...

Didn't mention to them that I had been there about 20 years earlier, compliments of the Rhodesian Air Force.... :E

[MrBernoulli]

I too have visited Tete, on more than one occasion, after the 'event' - mighty big hole! Such a shame it damaged that Gooney Bird parked on the hardstand nearby.