General PJ Coetzee

GENERAL PJ COETZEE

Commissioner of the South African Police from 1983 to 1987

Profile: General PJ ‘Johann’ Coetzee SED, SOO, SOE, SD

Sourced from an official brochure compiled, written and presented by all the women police of the Republic of South Africa (1987).

AFRIKAANS

Generaal Johann Coetzee is op 3 Maart 1928 in Smithfield, 'n baie koue dorpie In die Vrystaat, gebore. Sy moeder was 'n vrou van Duitse afkoms. Sy is in Konstanz, 'n dorpie in Duitsland, gebore. Sy het musiektalent gehad en op 'n plaas naby Molteno, 'n dorpie in die Oos-Kaap, skoolgehou en musieklesse aangebied. Sy het ook tuisonderrig vir die generaal aangebied totdat hy in standerd een amptelik skool toe is. Dit is sonder twyfel deur haar invloed dat die generaal sy Iiefde vir boeke en die filosofie ontwikkel het.

Generaal se vader was 'n boer wat baie rondgetrek het. Om dié rede het Generaal by sy tante op Molteno geloseer en vanuit haar huis skoolgegaan.

Op die jeugdige ouderdom van 15 jaar het hy op Rouxville gematrikuleer en op 10 Mei 1946 het hy as 16-jarige in Pretoria by die Mag aangesluit. Op 19 Januarie 1952 is hy in Johannesburg met Yvonne van LeylevId getroud. Uit die huwelik is 'n seun en 'n dogter gebore.

Generaal Coetzee het 'n meestersgraad in eietydse geskiedenis aan die Randse Afikaanse Universiteit verwerf, waar hy ook 'n deeltydse lektor in staatsleer is. Benewens verskeie ander liggame en rade waarin hy dien, is generaal Coetzee 'n assessorlid van die Suid-¬Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns.

Sy dogter, Konstanz, sê dat haar pa se benadering tot die lewe is dat daar geen beperkinge bestaan nie. Hy doen alles met volle oorgawe en na die beste van sy vermoë.

Die generaal beskik oor 'n gawe om te kan luister. Hy is nooit te besig om belang te stel of om werklik om te gee nie, ongeag wie die persoon is. Baie polisiemanne kan getuig dat generaal Coetzee, ongeag watter tyd van die nag hy tuiskom, persoonlik vir sy "seuns" koffie maak en hulle met koffie en beskuit by die hek, waar hulle wagdiens doen, bedien.

Brigadier Kalfie Broodryk, 'n oud-Veiligheidskollega van generaal Coetzee, sê dat in al die jare wat hy ten nouste met die generaal saamgewerk het, hy die generaal nooit een keer kwaad gesien het nie. Brigadier Gert Erasmus[1], ook 'n oud-Veiligheidskollega van die generaal, glo dat die charisma wat die generaal uitstraal, moeilik geëwenaar sal kan word.

Beide die brigadiers is dit eens dat Veiligheidswerk die generaal se eerste liefde was en altyd sal bly. Generaal se groot ideaal is om eendag met sy eie seiljag met sy familie na Europa te vaar.

'n Ander ideaal is om 'n grot, wat in Spioenkop geleë is, aan sy kinders te wys. Spioenkop is op sy plaas, "Goedvireers", by Molteno geleë. Hierdie grot het aan 'n Engelse heliograafbataljon tydens die Anglo Boere-oorlog skuiling gebied en is deur sy oupa aan sy pa uitgewys. Die manskappe van die bataljon het hulle name en bataljonnommers teen die wande van hierdie grot uitgekap.

En wat is die generaal se swakheid? Natuurlik sy kleindogter, Rolandi, wat duidelik oupa se skranderheid geërf het. Dan ook natuurlik Karookarmenaadjies en melkkos soos wat net sus Roekie dit kan maak.

'n Vakansie aan die Natalse Suid kus (waar hy ook 'n plaas besit) en op sy plaas, "Goedvireers" tussen sy skape, is vir hom die lekkerste ontspanning en, selfs, terapie.

Terwyl hy Kommissaris was, het die Suid-Afrikaanse Spoorwegpolisie met die Polisie saamgesmelt, het 'n volwaardige tak vir Kriminalistiek tot stand gekom, het die SAP 'n helikoptervloot gekry en is 'n landwye video-eenheid op die been gebring. Dit is maar enkele van generaal Coetzee se prestasies.

Minister Vlok het ook bekend gemaak dat die nuwe distrikshoofkwartier vir die Polisie wat in Newlands, Johannesburg, opgerig word, na generaal Coetzee vernoem sal word.[2]

REFERENCES:

Later Major-General GN Erasmus, a former head of the Security Branch Johannesburg and a Regional Commissioner of the SA Police on the Witwatersrand.
In the new political dispensation the General Johann Coetzee Police Station was renamed to Sophia Town Police Station.

ENGLISH

On June 1, 1983 General Coetzee took over the reigns as Commissioner of the South African Police. At the age of 54 he was one of the youngest Commissioners of the South African Police.

General Coetzee started his career in the Mounted Police[1] and was later transferred to the C.I.D. Joining the Security Police in 1954 he realized their desperate need for somebody who could do shorthand. After a course he could handle 200 to 250 words a minute, thus becoming a noted stereographer.

He became known as a top-flight interrogator and spymaster during the 29 years he served in the Security Police.

He is considered to be one of the leading experts on communism in South Africa. He has an incredible memory and possesses limitless knowledge of the communist doctrine and dogma. His knowledge of communism extends far into the practical field. As a young desk officer he recruited South Africa's first secret agent, Gerard Ludi, and as Security Chief he was the mentor of Major Craig Williamson, who had great success in infiltrating the International University Fund.

He was responsible for several successful operations against the ANC and the Communist Party. Braam (sic) Fischer once said of him: "After the revolution, he will be my garden boy", but Fischer, the brilliant advocate who turned underground leader of the Communist Party, was ultimately unmasked by Coetzee.[2]

General Coetzee will be remembered for the bravery he showed when he walked into the bank, unarmed, to negotiate with the terrorist murderers during the Silverton siege in Pretoria in 1981. For this he was awarded the SAP Star for Outstanding Service.

He is also an academic with an obsession for learning. Already during his early police career he furthered his education through part-time study.

General Coetzee, regarded by many of his colleagues as one of the most competent Commissioners the Police has ever had, played a leading role behind the scenes in an attempt to normalise relations with South Africa's neighbours, of which security was the key aspect. He was the first head of the joint Security Commission between Mozambique and South Africa after the signing of the Nkomati Accord, in terms of which Mozambique agreed to get rid of the military presence of the ANC.

A similar, but more successful agreement was also reached with Swaziland, which continues to act vigorously against armed ANC elements in its territory, while Lesotho is now also taking similar action without the signing of any formal accord.

As a former Chief of the Security Police, General Coetzee is regarded as having been an important component and adviser to the South African Government on security aspects regarding relations with neighbouring states.

REFERENCES:

He was a member of the SA Police Royal Mounted Escort during the 1947 Royal visit to South Africa.
Fischer was arrested with the assistance of Secret Agent Gerard Ludi (who was handled by Gen Coetzee) and others who were detained and questioned. Brigadiers Roelf van Rensburg and Kalfie Broodryk were the arresting Officers.