In 1994, after South Africa's first democratic election, Nkabinde was elected as one of the ANC's provincial legislators. In an astonishing move during one of the legislature's debates he openly admitted to being a warlord, but asserted that, he ”…was never the one who caused violence and would not apoligise if I have defended people against their enemy… I will never sacrifice my people” . Following a string of murder charges against him in 1997, Nkabinde was finally arrested. He was later acquitted on the grounds that there was not enough evidence to link him directly to the 18 murders alleged committed by members of his defence unit. The acquittal came as a shock to those who allegedly witnessed his part in the killings in April 1994.

References

• Call for peace in South Africa. BBC [Online] 31 January 1999. Available at: news.bbc.co.uk [Accessed 06 April 2010]
• Police prepare for Nkabinde funeral. BBC [Online] 31 January 1999. Available at: news.bbc.co.uk [Accessed 06 April 2010]
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