The raid, the fifth South African attack on a neighbouring country since , killed 12 people including women and children; only five of the victims were actual members of the African National Congress ANC , at the time the main opposition group against the National Party white supremacist minority regime.
In the s, relations between Botswana and South Africa were strained. Anti-apartheid organisations such as the African National Congress used Botswana and other countries in Southern Africa as refuge. The following locations in the Gaborone area were targeted by the South African forces: [ 3 ]. At about am on 14 June, approximately 50 South African soldiers entered Botswana near the Tlokweng border outpost, not far from Bophuthatswana. To prevent retaliation from the BDF, the raiding party cut telephone lines to the local barracks and spread metal tacks on roads to flatten tires of pursuing vehicles.
The South African apartheid government forces completely destroyed four residences and severely damaged another four and seized documents, arms, and a computer. They did not engage BDF forces; they convinced the Botswanan security personnel they encountered during the raid to refrain from intervening. Once they had completed their objectives, the South Africans linked up and returned to South Africa, avoiding BDF roadblocks and establishing their own block at the border.
The attackers killed 12 people and injured six. One South African soldier received minor injuries. Muff Andersson, a former member of MK, said that instead of attacking legitimate military targets, the SADF arbitrarily picked sympathisers of the ANC's anti-apartheid struggle to "teach them a lesson". The raid was celebrated by the South African press.
He stated that the final decision to conduct the raid was made after two members of Parliament were killed in a grenade attack earlier in the week. Viljoen further stated that the soldiers used megaphones to urge the residents of Gaborone to hide in their houses while the raid occurred and that they "obtained good cooperation" from Botswanan officials, who they asked not to interfere.
