760: Bradley Steyn | Undercover with Mandela's Spies Part One

Recruitment

Bradley Steyn's unexpected recruitment into South Africa's security police began with a dramatic incident at a Pretoria nightclub. While working as a bouncer, he intervened in an assault on a transvestite named Coco, catching the attention of Major Andy Miller, a high-ranking officer in the security police 1. This encounter led to his recruitment into the Security Branch, a notorious enforcement arm of the apartheid government, often compared to the East German Stasi for its covert operations 1. Despite his troubled past, including struggles with discipline and a stint in the South African Navy, Bradley found himself drawn into the complex world of espionage 2.

   

Espionage

Bradley's undercover missions were fraught with danger and moral ambiguity. One notable operation involved discovering a Soviet weapons cache near Cape Town International Airport, a task that highlighted the high stakes of his espionage work 3. These missions often required creative strategies, such as using fake grenades for intimidation or spiking a toothbrush with LSD to unsettle targets 4. Reflecting on his past, Bradley acknowledges the necessity of such actions, despite the personal and ethical challenges they posed 4.

   

Covert Operations

Bradley's covert activities extended beyond mere intelligence gathering. He and his team often operated in secrecy, keeping sensitive information even from their closest allies 4. The discovery of the weapons cache, informed by CIA intelligence, underscored the global dimensions of their operations and the potential for catastrophic outcomes 3. Despite the risks, Bradley's commitment to his mission was unwavering, driven by a desire to expose injustices and effect change in his homeland 4.