Boeremag 'fuelled' white fears
2004-08-03 12:01
Pretoria - White fears of a massive slaughter by blacks were fuelled at meetings attended and addressed by some of the Boeremag treason trialists, the Pretoria High Court heard on Tuesday.
Accused turned State witness Henk van Zyl told the court of meetings where the predictions of Boer "Seer" Siener van Rensburg were used to incite whites to action.
Van Rensburg predicted a "night of the long knives" when blacks would move into white Gauteng suburbs and massacre the residents.
This would happen seven days after the death of former president Nelson Mandela, van Zyl testified.
People at the meetings were warned that the night was coming closer as Mandela's health was failing.
At early meetings attended by some of the trialists, whites were encouraged to join commandos, arm themselves and prepare to resist the expected black onslaught, Van Zyl said.
Farm attacks and murders were also used as an incitement tool, and pictures of white farm attack victims were show at meetings.
It was agreed at these gatherings that blacks would never be defeated at the ballot box, van Zyl said.
He was giving evidence in the trial of 22 alleged members of the right-wing Boeremag organisation charged with plotting to overthrow the government.
They face 42 charges ranging from treason, terrorism and murder to the illegal possession of arms, ammunition and explosives.
- SAPA