By Norm Dixon
JOHANNESBURG — A security police officer accused of murder and being at the centre of "Third Force" destabilisation operations against trade unions has been allowed to flee South Africa to New Zealand. The details appeared recently in the Weekly Mail and Guardian.
WM&G journalist Stefaans Brummer reported that police captain Michael Bellingan skipped the country while judicial authorities delayed his prosecution for murdering his wife, Janine.
An inquest court on May 6 found Bellingan responsible her death. Despite the finding, Bellingan left South Africa for New Zealand with his new wife — who is still on the police payroll — around May 29. Police were aware that Bellingan was considering moving to NZ but did nothing to stop him.
Janine Bellingan was found beaten to death in September 1991 in the couple's home in Johannesburg's northern suburbs. Trapped in an unhappy and violent marriage and fearing for her life, she had begun collecting evidence on her husband's unsavoury activities as a security cop. After her death, police found a bag containing documents that revealed Bellingan's activities. Janine Bellingan had asked friends to alert the police about the bag should anything happen to her.
Instead of protecting her life, Janine Bellingan's knowledge of her husband's role in "Third Force" dirty tricks may have led to her death.
The documents revealed that Bellingan was at the centre of an operation to disrupt the activities of the National Union of Metalworkers, NUMSA. Opening a bank account in the name of Nicholas Umsa, Bellingan had substantial amounts of union money diverted to the security police. False passports and credits cards used in the scam indicate that the operation had the logistical support of the state.
Brummer refers to investigators who believe the operation was part of a broader strategy known as "Stratcom", which was designed to sow confusion among "enemies of the state". Other Stratcom activities included mail interception and the substitution of the contents of letters.
There is a growing suspicion that both police and judicial authorities were reluctant to bring Bellingan to justice. The inquest found that Bellingan's seemingly "impregnable alibi" that he had been on a police course in Durban, accepted by the police at the time of the murder, was flawed. Bellingan was absent for several crucial hours during the night of the murder. The information raises the question: was Janine Bellingan's death a hit squad operation?
Witwatersrand attorney-general Klaus von Lieres und Wilkau admitted to the WM&G that he had "heard" that Bellingan had fled to NZ but "hearing and knowing are two different things".
Janine Bellingan's family said there were undue delays in bringing Bellingan to justice. Von Lieres repeatedly failed to fulfil promises of a speedy resolution of the case. Investigating officer Major Willie Steyn — who has received several death threats — has testified that he was denied access to police witnesses in Natal.
After being discharged from the SAP in August 1993 on "medical grounds" it is believed Bellingan received a golden handshake from the SAP of around R120,000 (A$48,000) in addition to a monthly pension of R3000.
South Africa has no extradition treaty with New Zealand. It is not known if the New Zealand government is aware of the presence of Bellingan, or of the crimes he is alleged to have committed. New Zealand is gaining a reputation in South Africa as the favoured destination for disgruntled racists.