Infamous Assassinations — Season 1, Episode 12: The Assassination of Verwoerd

Episode synopsis

Cape Town, 1966 On 6 September 1966, seven minutes after taking his seat in the House of Assembly, South African Prime Minister Dr Henrick Verwoerd was assassinated by Demetrio Tsafendas, a Bible-quoting parliamentary messenger. Verwoerd had played a key role in constructing South Africa''s Apartheid laws, but ironically the assassin claimed he was not doing enough for whites. It was the second attempt on Verwoerd''s life.

About Infamous Assassinations

This brand-new and exclusive series takes a closer look at some of the world's most talked-about assassinations and near misses. Always a fascinating and macabre subject, assassinations can damage a nation's confidence, create wars and shock the world. Throughout this series some of the 20th century's most outrageous attempts can, thanks to rare archive footage and reconstructions, be seen first hand and viewers are brought closer to the events than ever before. From the assassinations of John F Kennedy and Mahatma Ghandi, to attacks on royalty, politicians and media celebrities, this series uncovers the real reasons behind these events and how they unfolded.

More episodes from Season 1

• E1The Assassination of Ernst Roehm
• E2The attempt on Princess Anne
• E3The Assassination of John Lennon
• E4The Assassination of Lord Louis Mountbatten
• E5The Assassination of Trotsky
• E6The Assassination of Pope John Paul II
• E7The Assassination of Sikorski
• E8The Assassination of President McKinley
• E9The Assassination of Heydrich
• E10The Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin
• E11The Assassination of Zia Al Huq
• E13The Assassinations of Indira & Rajiv Gandhi