Terre'Blanche death 'a relief'

2010-04-07 07:55

Johannesburg - The death of Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging leader Eugene Terre'Blanche was a "sigh of relief" to those this "heartless man" exploited and terrorised, the Young Communist League's North West branch said on Tuesday.

"We are calling on the public, including the media and some political leaders and commentators, not to elevate this case to a status where it does not belong," YCL North West provincial secretary Mike Mokhutshane said.

This was not a political case, but a "normal murder case" which could happen to any person, he said.

Not linked to struggle song

"We reject in all forms, statements attributing the death... to the struggle song sung by [ANC Youth League president] Cde Julius Malema in all his platforms."

Malema has come under increasing fire recently for his ongoing singing of the words "shoot the boer (farmer)" at public events.

The "real issues" that caused Terre'Blanche's murder were exploitation, child labour and his "tremendous abuse and terrorism" of farm people.

"This sudden brouhaha on the death of Terre'Blanche confirms our long-held view that the life of a white person is more important than that of a black person in this country," said Mokhutshane.

"This is not a racial statement, but an indication of reality because many black people have been murdered mistaken with baboons and animals by white people and there have never been any noise, except from [the Congress of SA Trade Unions] on such killings."

Terre'Blanche was murdered on his Ventersdorp farm on Saturday, allegedly by two farmworkers, over a labour dispute. The two appeared in the Ventersdorp Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.

Fair and just trial

The YCL North West's concern was that his murder accused would not receive a fair trial because of the case's quasi-political status.

"We will make a representation to government, Cosatu and its affiliated union of [the Food and Allied Workers' Union], to provide legal assistance to these young people in order for them to receive a fair and just trial," said Mokhutshane.

"We will equally engage North West government on the availability of the police on a 24-hour basis in the surrounding areas of Ventersdorp to ensure maximum security for community members."

The YCL knew what the AWB was capable of doing.

"They have done it before and there is absolutely nothing that will prevent them from repeating what they did pre-1994, of killing our people in numbers in the roadblocks [at midnight]."

- SAPA