AfriForum Event Featuring Wouter Basson Sells Out, “Dr Death” Expected to Discuss Project Coast
- AfriForum's event featuring Dr Wouter Basson, the controversial Apartheid-era figure, has been sold out
- Basson, who was dubbed Dr Death, is expected to give his personal account of the covert Project Coast
- South Africans took to social media to weigh in on the news, sharing mixed reactions to the event
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Source: Twitter
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
GAUTENG - An AfriForum-hosted theatre event featuring Dr Wouter Basson has been sold out.
Dr Basson is a controversial Apartheid-era figure who was nicknamed "Dr Death".
The event is scheduled for Friday, 4 September 2026, at the 380-seat venue at Greenlyn Village Centre, Menlo Park, Pretoria. Basson is expected to deliver his personal account of the covert Project Coast initiative during the event.
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What is Project Coast?
Project Coast was a classified chemical and biological warfare programme operated by South Africa's Apartheid government between 1981 and 1995.
While the military publicly described its objectives as defensive, hearings before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) later revealed the programme had an offensive dimension, developing lethal poisons and biological agents intended for use against anti-apartheid activists and liberation movement fighters.
Basson led the programme during his time in the South African Defence Force (SADF) and was dubbed "Dr Death" as a result. He was charged with 67 criminal counts in connection with his role, but a court acquitted him on all charges in 2005.
His legal troubles did not end with the criminal acquittal. Complaints were filed against Dr Basson, who is now a cardiologist in Cape Town, with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) relating to alleged unprofessional conduct stemming from his leadership of Project Coast.
In December 2013, a disciplinary committee found him guilty of unprofessional conduct. Sentencing proceedings began in January 2015 but were subsequently halted, partly due to legal challenges. Those proceedings remain unresolved.
How did South Africans react?
The sold-out event drew a range of reactions on social media.
Anton Williamson asked:
"Would love to understand why Afriforum would go down this road?"
Mbuyisi Zina remarked:
"Glad to see AfriForum being themselves out in the open… they're tired of playing diplomatic games."
Francois Burger claimed:
"Great man. A soldier and doctor to patients of all persuasions. He saw then what we all know now; that the ANC is an abomination. The man alone is worth more to humanity than 10,000 ANC supporters."
Marena Godlo said:
"Jacinta and her March and March supporters bought them tickets in numbers."
Phathutshedzo Mafuna remarked:
"We hope Jacinta's seat is secured there as well. Since she has so much to learn."
Allegations surface of Apartheid-era plot to spread HIV among Black South Africans
In a related article, allegations claimed that Apartheid-era operatives deliberately sought to spread HIV/AIDS among Black South Africans.
A new book, Who Really Killed Chris Hani?, claimed that HIV/AIDS was deliberately used as a form of biological warfare against citizens.
Briefly News reported that the plan was allegedly to reduce the population ahead of the country’s first non-racial elections in 1994.
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Source: Briefly News
