Black Widow White Widow

by De Wet Potgieter

When in 2013 he first published a report on the active presence of Al-Qaeda in South Africa, all hell broke loose for investigative reporter De Wet Potgieter. He was forced to retract before a second, substantiating article could be published. Then the massacre at Westgate Mall hit Nairobi, which made the involvement of the so-called White Widow - operating on a legitimate but illegally acquired South African passport - front-page news. Suddenly the world's media was beating a path to Potgieter's door. Now, for the first time, he tells the full unsettling story of Al-Qaeda's presence in this country. Not only is the veil lifted from this mysterious British woman, but the identity of another is an Afrikaans-speaking counter-terrorist operative known as the Black Widow.The book shows how, taking advantage of corrupt state machinery, Al-Qaeda factions launch attacks in other countries. It discloses the location of a terrorist training camp in the Karoo and reveals disturbing details of the support they receive from various local extremist groups. Based on investigations spanning two years, Black Widow White Widow paints a frightening picture of the all too real possibility of future attacks from, or on, South African soil.

275 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 16, 2014

Reviews

[Jayde Schwerin · Rating 5 out of 5]

An informative and interesting read. A story well investigated and narrated.

[Mina · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book with deep reporting into a niche. It would have been a credible monograph had it not been mired by a wooly style, often descending into ranting, and the proud reliance on a single source. I have suspicions that his single source is his wife, which - if confirmed - would call into question the book.

Otherwise, the book will be a launchpad for anyone interested in pursuing stories about terrorism in South Africa.