Former SAA pilots and cabin crew yesterday paid homage at a reunion in Kempton Park to their colleagues who died in the Helderberg air disaster on November 28, 1987. The crash of flight SA 295 into the Indian Ocean 134 nautical miles off the coast of Mauritius claimed the lives of all 19 crew and 140 passengers on board. It was ruled that the disaster was caused by a fire in the upper rear cargo hold, although claims have surfaced from time to time that the explosion was caused by military equipment being transported on the plane. Photograph: TJ Lemon
Thirty-six years ago, the Helderberg crashed into the Indian Ocean, killing all 159 people on board. The truth has been covered up for all these years, in a concealment that is staggering.
The most crucial and pivotal piece of evidence, that could either prove or disprove critical elements of the crash, mysteriously disappeared. The ZUR tape, it is alleged, contains damning evidence that could confirm the presence of military cargo that was carried on board the ill-fated flight.
A ZUR tape records a conversation between a pilot and a plane’s home base on a dedicated frequency. At the time, SAA used a short-wave radio station at Jan Smuts Airport (now OR Tambo International Airport), known as ZUR.
Transmissions were recorded on 24-hour reels kept for about 35 days before reuse. The Margo Commission and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission failed to locate the missing tape. It was claimed that the tape was mislaid or overwritten. An explanation that was difficult to comprehend.
Sworn statements reveal that the crucial tape went through 10 people in the corridors of power, involving SAA, Armscor and the then-Nationalist Government.
Why would they go through such extraordinary measures to conceal a tape if there was nothing sinister in its contents?
It has been recorded throughout history, that powerful governments can cover up top-secret incidents, South Africa is no exception. On September 27, 1979, a US Vela spy satellite detected a double flash near the Prince Edward Islands, an indication a nuclear explosion was in progress.
South Africa vehemently denied involvement, a troubled Western world covered up the incident, even in the face of overwhelming evidence. Many years later, President FW De Klerk came clean and dismantled its seven nuclear bombs.
Any person in our country who doubts that the Helderberg did not carry explosive military weaponry should take time to listen to this 13-minute scary radio interview.
The person being interviewed was a toddler when he lost his father in the crash.
His dad’s death inspired him to become an attorney in his quest to obtain the truth.
The information that was presented is shocking. Most of the role players have died, but someone must be alive to tell the truth.
We owe it to the survivors of the crash victims to bring closure.
* Farouk Araie, Gauteng.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
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