Boeremag member gets 8yrs

2003-05-16 12:42

Pretoria - A member of the rightwing Boeremag organisation, sent to jail for eight years for terrorism on Friday, thought his actions were justified by the prophesies of a renowned Boer seer.

In a document outlining his plea agreement with the State, Dawid Andries Oosthuizen says his recruiters repeatedly showed him a video on the predictions of prophet "Siener" van Rensburg.

The seer apparently warned of a plan by black South Africans to "create chaos" in Johannesburg. Those watching the video where told to be prepared to counter such an "attack".

The video also included material on the plight of white farmers as a result of land reform in Zimbabwe, and those attending were reminded of attacks on farmers in South Africa.

Oosthuizen, 28, contends Van Rensburg's reference to "a bucket of blood falling over in the north" was used as a metaphor for the Zimbabwean situation.

"This led the accused to believe that the actions of the Boeremag would be justified," the plea agreement reads.

The State alleges the organisation planned to overthrow the government, chase all blacks and Indians out of the country, or kill them, and declare a "Boer" republic.

Oosthuizen initially faced 43 criminal charges, including high treason, with 22 other alleged Boeremag members, whose trial is to start on Monday.

In terms of his deal with the State, he pleaded guilty to a single charge of terrorism, and was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment - four of which were suspended for five years.

All other charges were dropped.

According to the charge sheet, Oosthuizen, a farm foreman, was a corporal in the Warmbaths commando. He swore an oath of allegiance to the Boeremag and had the codename Buurman (neighbour).

He allegedly attended meetings to plan for the recruitment of more Boeremag members and the gathering of emergency supplies for executing the planned coup de tat.

It is claimed he was one of the leaders of a group which did reconnaissance of car bomb targets.

Oosthuizen allegedly hired 10 cars from Avis in September last year for the construction of car bombs. The cars would have been placed at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the Johannesburg Station, Deutsche Bank in Sandton, and African National Congress headquarters.

The operation was called off when the security forces learnt about the plans.

According to the plea agreement, Oosthuizen was impressionable, and was drawn into the Boeremag in a subtle way by his co-accused and neighbour Herman van Rooyen.

He accepted that what he did was wrong, and was truly remorseful.

He initially believed the aims of the Boeremag were defensive rather than offensive in nature, the document states.

Oosthuizen has been in custody since his arrest on October 22 last year, and was married in the Zonderwater prison near Cullinan in April. His first child, a daughter, was born on May 7.

He was prepared to testify against his 22 co-accused.

The others are to face a main charge of high treason. There are four alternative charges of terrorism and four more of sabotage.

The men are also charged with one count of murder and one of attempted murder. The remaining charges related to contraventions of legislation governing the possession, manufacturing and use of explosives, arms and ammunition.

- SAPA