Includes copies of legislation analyses of the impact, clippings and reports. The dates of the Bills are reflected in the headings.

On 21 March 1985, residents of the township Langa in Uitenhage were travelling to attend a funeral in nearby KwaNobuhle township where political unrest had led to the death of several people. Police fired on them as they approached a white residential, area killing more than twenty people. The incident led to an international outcry and an upsurge in unrest across the country. In response, the Government appointed the Kannameyer Commission to investigate the actions of the riot police in the shootings.

Activities of a third force were first referred to in 1990 when the term was used publicly by leaders of the ANC including Nelson Mandela. Since 1994, more evidence confirmed the existence of independent units and others in the SAP and SADF. The SA government denied third force activities. This was contradicted in the evidence at trials such as those of Eugene de Kock and Magnus Malan. Covert organisations included Vlakplaas, state-sponsored hit squads and dirty tricks organisations such as the Defence Forces Civil Co-operation Bureau (CCB) and Military Intelligences Directorate of Covert Collection. There was and a cross-pollination of staff between these organisations.

The material covers the trials of two men involved in the above activities. Eugene de Kock led a notorious death squad operating from Vlakplaas and Malan, as Defence Minister and political boss of the SA Defence Force and the CCB, was aware of the covert activities of both organs.

From the mid-1980s, KwaZulu Natal was the scene of intense political violence between supporters of Inkatha, the ANC, UDF and other parties. The SAP was seen to support Inkatha, further fuelling the violence. The violence threatened to derail the move towards democratisation, and continued after the first democratic elections in 1994.

In September 1991, the ANC, Inkatha and the government signed the National Peace Accord.

Dates refer to the dates of the material.