Today in Kimberley's History
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SASOL plant under attack - 1980
The attacks on SASOL I, NATREF and SASOL II took place on the night of 31 May/1 June 1980 in order to coincide with Republic Day. The attack was organised by Solomon Mahlangu of the Umkhonto weSizwe Special Operations. Initial reconnaissance was undertaken during July 1979 and two teams of chosen cadres were trained in Angola for the operations. The teams were infiltrated into the country and a final reconnaissance was carried out the night before the attacks. On the night of the attack the teams gained access to the refineries by cutting through the perimeter fence. Special limpet mines with thermite were then placed on fuel tanks and the teams withdrew undetected. The limpet mines exploded and eight fuel tanks in all were destroyed causing damage estimated at R66 million. The team that attacked Sasol I and NATREF at Sasolburg remained in the country for approximately two weeks before returning to Mozambique via Swaziland. The team thatattacked Sasol II at Secunda drove to Swaziland immediately after the attack and returned to Mozambique the next morning. Nobody was killed in the attacks and but a security guard at Sasol I was injured. A movie titled 'Catch a fire' was made about these events, and in particular, about the life of freedom fighter Patrick Chamusso. Patrick, an employee at SASOL at the time, was arrested in the aftermath of the bombs because he was one of the last drivers to leave the area where the bomb was placed.
The attacks on SASOL I, NATREF and SASOL II took place on the night of 31 May/1 June 1980 in order to coincide with Republic Day. The attack was organised by Solomon Mahlangu of the Umkhonto weSizwe Special Operations. Initial reconnaissance was undertaken during July 1979 and two teams of chosen cadres were trained in Angola for the operations. The teams were infiltrated into the country and a final reconnaissance was carried out the night before the attacks. On the night of the attack the teams gained access to the refineries by cutting through the perimeter fence. Special limpet mines with thermite were then placed on fuel tanks and the teams withdrew undetected. The limpet mines exploded and eight fuel tanks in all were destroyed causing damage estimated at R66 million. The team that attacked Sasol I and NATREF at Sasolburg remained in the country for approximately two weeks before returning to Mozambique via Swaziland. The team thatattacked Sasol II at Secunda drove to Swaziland immediately after the attack and returned to Mozambique the next morning. Nobody was killed in the attacks and but a security guard at Sasol I was injured. A movie titled 'Catch a fire' was made about these events, and in particular, about the life of freedom fighter Patrick Chamusso. Patrick, an employee at SASOL at the time, was arrested in the aftermath of the bombs because he was one of the last drivers to leave the area where the bomb was placed.