Boeremag man 'not a monster'

2004-07-14 18:32

Pretoria - One of the Boeremag treason trial accused told the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday he was not the "monster" he was made out to be.

"At the start of the trial we were portrayed as these vicious barbarians who had no respect for human lives and drove around planting bombs everywhere," testified Gerhardus "Vis" Visagie.

"Meanwhile I think most people have realised we're just ordinary civilised people."

Visagie, 65, a retired farmer from Bela-Bela, Mokopane medical doctor Johan Pretorius jun and farmers Herman van Rooyen and Rudi Gouws applied for bail this week for the first time since their arrest in 2002.

The four men, together with Pretorius's brothers Wilhelm and Kobus, were on the run from police for several months before being arrested.

'Down and depressed'

Visagie told the court he had severe health problems which he thought were not being adequately treated in jail, although he admitted that members of the investigating team regularly took certain of the 22 trialists to and from private medical doctors.

He said he felt "down and depressed", especially as the circumstances in jail were not ideal and he rarely saw his wife, children and grandchildren, and was not allowed contact visits at Pretoria's Local Prison.

As an awaiting-trial prisoner, he also did not have access to counselling at the jail.

"We're not asking for five-star treatment in jail, just the norm. I would have thought that one would be free from cockroaches and rats running over you at night and that the windows in the cells would be fixed so that it does not rain on you at night," he said.

He complained bitterly that he was not able to prepare for his trial properly.

"If I have a fair trial and can prepare my defence properly I am convinced that I will prove my innocence," he said.

'Stupid'

About his time on the run from police, Visagie said it was the stupidest thing he had ever done.

"It was very traumatic for me and my health suffered. My wife, children and grandchildren did not know where I was. I feared my marriage was over. I never want to go through that again," he testified.

Visagie denied that he would attempt to influence state witnesses if he was freed on bail. He said his own son was a state witness and regularly visited him with the knowledge of the prosecution.

He admitted that he had attended a series of meetings at which farm attacks, land invasions, possible anarchy and the prophecies of Boer prophet Siener van Rensburg were discussed, but denied that he had ever been sworn in as a member of the Boeremag or that he was the Boeremag's chaplain.

Visagie became emotional and the court had to adjourn for a few minutes when he started talking about his background, his religion and feelings for the Boer nation.

"I was overcome when I thought about everything my nation had gone through," he told the court afterwards.

- SAPA