DURBAN SUBSTATION BLAST VICTIM: SGT RUDI VAN DER MERWE

On Wednesday 6 October 1999, Mr Robert McBride met the victims of the sub-station blast that had taken place on January 9, 1986, in Chamberlain Rd, Jacobs, in the Wentworth Police Precinct.

Mr McBride was applying to the TRC for amnesty for the bomb attack, which he said was aimed at damaging the transformer and targeting security force personnel.

Security branch policeman and bomb disposal expert Colonel RL “Bobby” Wellman was killed and other SAP members: • Mr Mervyn Dunn, • Mr P Zimmerman, • Mr R van der Merwe, • Mr DA Booysens and • Mr Baker were injured in the blast.

Mr McBride was at the time a unit commander of the African National Congress' special operations unit responsible for the attacks. There were two blasts. The first blast was followed by a second one which was aimed specifically at SAP personnel investigating the first explosion, McBride said. On Wednesday morning McBride met privately with Zimmerman and Van der Merwe, who suffered extensive burns in the attack.

As of November 2021, now Captain Rudi van der Merwe is still suffering from burns to his legs, requiring frequent hospitalization, as can be seen on the accompanying photos taken 19/11/2021.