Johannesburg Magistrate court is bombed

Date: 20 May 1987
Updated: 20 May 2026

The Johannesburg Central Magistrate's Court building in Johannesburg, South Africa, 2022

Two bombs exploded at the Johannesburg magistrate's court. The first, a minor explosion that acted as a decoy, was followed by a second more powerful charge minutes later. Mr Andre Duvenhage, a police officer at John Vorster Square at the time, was one of the personnel who attended to the first explosion not knowing that it was a decoy. The second explosion claimed the lives of three policemen including Duvenhage and injured four others. Six bystanders were also injured. Two African National Congress (ANC) members and a supporter were granted amnesty by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in 1998 for the attack. The Commission received submissions testifying to the deaths of Mr Kobus Wilkens and Mr Andre Duvenhage and the injury of Mr Khutswane.

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01Justice and consitutional Development,"Bomb had to kill as many policemen as posible",From: Justice and consitutional Development, [Online], Available at: www.justice.gov.za [Accessed on: 20 May 2014]
02Wallis, F. (2000). Nuusdagboek: feite en fratse oor 1000 jaar, Kaapstad: Human & Rousseau

Last updated · 20 May 2026

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Johannesburg Magistrate court is bombed. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012697

South African History Online (2011) 'Johannesburg Magistrate court is bombed', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012697 (Accessed: 19 September 2026).

South African History Online, Johannesburg Magistrate court is bombed [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012697, (accessed 19 September 2026).

"Johannesburg Magistrate court is bombed." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012697. Accessed 19 Sept. 2026.

South African History Online. "Johannesburg Magistrate court is bombed." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012697.