A Spook's Progress

A Spook’s Progress is a fascinating and frank account of an intelligence agent’s life and work in South Africa.
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978-1-77022-437-7
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Title: A Spook's Progress
Subtitle: From Making War to Making Peace
Author: Maritz Spaarwater
Publisher: Randomhouse Struik
Imprint: Zebra Press
Cape Town, South Africa 2012
ISBN 9781770224377 / ISBN 978-1-77022-437-7
Softcover, 15 x 23 cm, 304 pages, several colour photographs

Description: A Spook's Progress

From the 1960s, Maritz Spaarwater was an intelligence agent for the South African government, first for Military Intelligence and later for National Intelligence. In the late 1980s, he was among the first to start official discussions overseas with the exiled leadership of the ANC, and he became involved in the negotiations that led to the 1994 election. This is his story. A Spook's Progress plays out in a range of locations, from army bases in Namibia to the NIS offices in Pretoria, from the dusty streets of Freetown to the luxury of Geneva.Threaded through the narrative are encounters with people such as Sam Nujoma, Kenneth Kaunda, Niel Barnard, Roelf Meyer, Chris Hani, Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma. An honest depiction of day-to-day life as a spy, the book delves into the relationship between intelligence agents and their political masters and reveals their behind-the-scenes role in facilitating the transition. At times serious, at times ironic and satirical, A Spook's Progress is a fascinating and frank account of an intelligence agent's life and work, and his shift from making war to making peace.

Content: A Spook's Progress

Acknowledgements
The Tree
Preface
BEGINNING I: EARLY LIFE
Genetically Predisposed
Growing Up
Boardina School
First Nibble at the Military
University, and Another World
War
BEGINNING II: MILITARY INTELLIGENGE
The SADF
Academic Interlude
Back in the hold, Briefly
The Law, Again
Demise of an Empire
Escape to Sanity, Again
Special Forces ARMSCOR
South West Africa
CSI Revisited
Thoughts on the Military
Cuito Cuanavale
Fallout at home
Honouring the Living and the Dead
Change of Tack and Destination
BEGINNING III: NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE
'Welcome' to NIS
Research
Politics Almost Intervenes
Niel Barnard and the Afrikaner Broederbond
Operations
Trial,Tribulation and Hilarity
Outward Movement
A Word on Travel
Outward Movement Inward
The Fall Guy
Talks About Talks About Talks
Free at Fast
BEGINNING IV: CONSTRUCTING DEMOCRACY
The Road to Democracy
Return of the Prodigals
Paving the Way
CODESA I
Shepherd to the Elusives
CODESA II and the MPNP
Decent Employment
Reversion
BEGINNING V: END GAME
Interregnum
The United Democratic Movement
Further Meander
The National Prosecuting Authority
End Game
Lamentation
Epilogue
Acronyms and Abbreviations
Bibliography
Index