'Boeremag may regroup'

2003-08-15 14:05

Pretoria - The possibility of the rightwing Boeremag organisation regrouping while 22 of its alleged members stood trial for high treason could not be excluded, Pretoria High Court was told on Friday.

According to crime intelligence reports, there was "constant stirring" among Boeremag supporters, prosecutor Pieter Luyt told Acting Judge Piet van der Byl.

This, and a number of threats, prompted police to place the investigating and prosecution teams under protection, he said.

Luyt was opposing a bail application by one of the 22 trialists - Dirk Jacobus Hanekom.

Luyt contended there was "considerable" support for the Boeremag in South Africa.

According to witness statements, there were people countrywide who hid and supported some of the trialists when they were still wanted by the police.

"If we had to charge every sympathiser or supporter known to the State, this court building would not be large enough to hold them," he said.

'Hit list' should be compiled

Luyt quoted from an unsigned letter sent to the prosecuting office in June, claiming there were "a few million" Boeremag members in South Africa just waiting for an order to "take back" the country.

It stated that Boeremag leaders should compile a list with the names of all those who "make their lives hell" - including judges, prosecutors, police and prison warders. This list should be kept for the "day of reckoning", the letter said.

In the meantime, supporters should go underground and "hit hard" with operations such as the "elimination" of the country's black leaders.

Luyt said the Boeremag had not been destroyed, but was paralysed to some extent by the arrest of its leaders, of which Hanekom was one.

He asked that Hanekom be denied bail, as it would be easy for him to disappear.

Luyt said Hanekom was second-in-command of the Boeremag's "Operation Popeye", which was aimed at creating chaos in South Africa by means of violence with a view to taking over defence force bases.

Asked for house arrest

Antonie Viviers, for Hanekom, said his client would be prepared to accept any bail conditions, however harsh.

He asked that his client be placed under house arrest.

"It is common cause that this trial will last about three years - that is a very long time to be in custody," Viviers told the judge.

He asked Acting Judge Van der Byl to take into account Hanekom's intention to hand himself over to police. He was arrested before he could do so.

Luyt said Hanekom stood accused of serious crimes and faced a possible sentence of life in jail.

He dismissed an argument that Hanekom was already in custody when a bomb exploded in Soweto in October, killing Claudia Mamatsieng Mokone.

'Retaliatory attacks'

Hanekom had associated himself with the Boeremag's bombing campaign and was thus guilty of murder, even though he did not commit the deed himself, Luyt said.

Also, he was a leading member of the group, not a mere foot soldier.

Luyt pointed out the Boeremag had handed down a "death sentence" to two former members who turned State witness. They were not under witness protection.

Other State witnesses were also regarded as traitors by the Boeremag.

It would be much easier for Hanekom to plan "retaliatory" attacks from home than from jail, and it would be impossible to monitor him 24 hours a day, Luyt said.

Judgment in the bail application is to be handed down on Monday before the resumption of the trial.

Hanekom and 22 other men stand accused of plotting to overthrow the government with the aim of declaring a Boer republic.

They face 42 charges ranging from treason and murder to numerous violations of arms and explosives legislation.

- SAPA