Lives on the line

“Lives on the Line is a gripping espionage thriller where trust is a gamble, and the price of failure could be death. Africa has no doubt provided us with a long overdue text.”
IMRAAN BUCCUS: Editor – Al Qalam.

“This book provides an insider account of how an intelligence-led policing effort to manage urban terrorism in South Africa met with success.”
GRAEME P.HERD: George C.Marshall European Centre for Security Studies ( GCMC), Germany.

“The defeat of Pagad stands out as one of the most dramatic intelligence achievements in the democratic era.”
KGALEMA MOTLANTHE: Former President of South Africa.

SYNOPSIS
Over five intense years, a small but skilled team of spies navigated a treacherous
landscape of deceit, risk, and setbacks, culminating in the downfall of one of South
Africa’s most dangerous terrorist organisations.

Narrated by David Africa, the intelligence mastermind behind the operation, the book
chronicles Pagad’s transformation from a local anti-gang movement to a violent terror
group and takes readers deep into the heart of the covert operation, detailing the
complexities of intelligence gathering, the battles with internal resistance within the
state security forces, and the relentless pursuit of a terror network determined to wreak
havoc.

FOREWORD
“South Africa and the world at large confronts a series of polycrises, the details of which are drip-fed to us through a daily dose of catastrophe, mismanagement, and poor governance.
This book offers a glimpse into the possibility of producing excellent outcomes if we care
to be thoughtful, committed and strategic. Africa has written a book on the successful intelligence operation that neutralised the threat of Paga’s urban terrorism, allowing us to imagine police and intelligence services known for the efficiency and innovation that existed at the time.”
Ayanda Dlodlo – Former Minister of State Security