Pieter Van Der Westhuizen

Pieter Van Der Westhuizen was the chief of South African Defense Force. He played a significant role in the arms trade and intelligence cooperation between South Africa and other nations, including Israel and Chile.¹

In 1983, Mark Thatcher introduced Gerald Bull to Van Der Westhuizen, who then connected Bull with ARMSCOR for his "supergun" project. Van Der Westhuizen was also present at a meeting in Santiago, Chile, in late 1986 with Carlos Cardoen, Robert Gates, and Senator John Tower, where the U.S. reaffirmed its intention to maintain arms channels to Iraq through South Africa and Chile.¹

In November 1988, Ari Ben-Menashe met with Van Der Westhuizen in South Africa. The General claimed that South Africa had stopped the flow of technology to Iraq and was interested in resuming nuclear cooperation with Israel. He also confirmed Thatcher's long-standing business dealings with South Africa. However, Israeli intelligence later confirmed that while South Africa was not directly dealing with Iraq, it was involved with Chile, which continued to supply Iraq through the Cardoen network.¹

Van Der Westhuizen was threatened by an Israeli counterpart for his continued involvement in supplying missile technology to Iraq through ARMSCOR. The South African government was reportedly considering dismissing him from all official positions.¹