From Apartheid trauma to spy: Bradley Steyn's life is straight from an action movie
LISTEN: From witnessing shootings to being shot, Bradley Steyn reflects on his life as an anti-Apartheid activist, spy, security expert and everything in between.
Bradley Steyn, former anti-Apartheid activist, spy and security expert
Lester Kiewit interviews Bradley Steyn, anti-Apartheid activist and security expert.
Listen below.
Bradley Steyn grew up in South Africa during the 1970s and 80s, a time marked by the harsh realities of Apartheid and increasing international isolation of the country.
As a teenager, he witnessed the horrific shooting in Pretoria’s Strijdom Square by white supremacist Barend Hendrik Strydom, which left seven people dead and many others injured.
This traumatic event led Steyn to struggle with PTSD in its wake.
"It's deeply ingrained in my soul and my DNA, who I am today."
- Bradley Steyn, anti-Apartheid activist and security expert
Steyn was recruited by the government’s security police to do undercover work while working as a bouncer at a Pretoria gay bar, but acted as a deep cover double-agent within the Department of Intelligence and Security under the directive of uMkhonto weSizwe.
"People didn't mess with us back then."
- Bradley Steyn, anti-Apartheid activist and security expert
In 2020, during a Black Lives Matter protest in Los Angeles, Steyn intervened to protect teenagers being pursued by the LAPD.
In the ensuing confrontation, he was brutally beaten by police officers and shot in the scrotum with a rubber bullet at close range.
He subsequently filed a legal suit against the LAPD.
Currently, Steyn splits his time between South Africa and the USA, where he works as a security expert.
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.