St James Church massacre - 20 years ago

**Rudes** · 26-07-2013, 11:25

I just realized that yesterday was the 20 year anniversary of the St James church massacre, 25 July 1993.

RIP the fallen and big ups to Charl van Wyk. It just goes to show that even one man armed with a lowly 38 special snubbie can make a difference!!

**Kreefstert** · 26-07-2013, 11:51

I wonder ho many young people actually knows about that.

RIP

**boesman10** · 26-07-2013, 12:38

I used to live 300 meters down the road from the Church. That morning I was busy with breakfast and heard the blast of the hand grenades and shots fired. I immediately knew where it was coming from. I grabbed my video camera and headed outside. People came running down the street and I was going in the opposite direction towards the church. I entered the church with the camera rolling and walked in between the pews and saw the carnage. Soon the ambulances and police arrived and I helped where I could. Eventually went back home and watched what I had on tape. It was gruesome and it was the only time I could ever watch that tape. Years later I found the tape again and erased it. Still today I can see it clearly and personally absolutely hate going to large gatherings. Something like that stays with you forever.

**ARM505** · 26-07-2013, 12:45

I live very nearby the church and regularly run/cycle past it. I always remember the attack as I go past.

**wrm** · 26-07-2013, 12:54

Yea it's just up the road here from where I work. Except I wasn't working here quite 20 years ago.

Charl says he had interviews with You / Huisgenoot, Saturday Star, CCFM and CapeTalk, Cape Argus, Life 24/7 SABC2, Cape Times and WorldNetDaily. I listened to him dealing with "what made you decide to take a GUN to CHURCH" gracefully on CapeTalk.

The bad guys could have taken Charl out easily, but fortunately some bad guys are sissies and run at the first hint of danger to themselves.

**Rudes** · 26-07-2013, 12:55

I actually met up with Charl a few years ago when I was in Cape Town on business and had a chat to him over a cup of coffee.

He is the most down to earth guy you could meet and everything but a gun nut like the rest of us. I don't know how many firearms he has now but at that stage he only had the snubbie and he probably shot with it once a year. He would not know tactical if it bit him in the arse ;-)

I would not advise others to follow his training example but it does show that you only need to get lucky once. The outcome could have been a lot different if he was unarmed that day.

There is a reasonably good wiki page about his actions and he also published a book about his experience which is available online for purchase if anyone wants to know more or read his story.

**wrm** · 26-07-2013, 13:40

Charl is one of the well and truly nice guys in the world.

**Crafty** · 26-07-2013, 13:50

oh wow... I actually almost forgot about that. Sad day that was...

**Rudes** · 26-07-2013, 14:31

Originally Posted by Crafty

oh wow... I actually almost forgot about that. Sad day that was...

Sad day yes but also a HUGE victory for the ordinary gun owner!

**Rudes** · 26-07-2013, 14:39

Interesting info when you read the Wikipedia article about this incident. One of the attackers was caught soon after the attack, convicted and spent time in prison. He was given amnesty by the TRC and set free but landed up in the poo again a few years later when he took part in a CIT robbery. He was convicted last year and is again spending life in prison.

It seems even with a second chance some people cannot be helped. It reminds me of Paul's saying: " Jy kan nie vir kak uit die kak uit help nie!"