'Terre'Blanche persecuted us'
2010-04-09 18:00
Ventersdorp - Slain right-wing leader Eugene Terre'Blanche will be remembered as a person who persecuted black people, residents of Tshing township outside Ventersdorp said on Friday.
"He inflicted pain on us, calling us names. He enjoyed it, now it's for us to rejoice," said Sibongile Links.
"I am happy that he is dead, laat hy gaan (let him go)," said 48-year-old Gert Booi.
He said the two people arrested for Terre'Blanche's murder must be granted bail.
"Farmers assaulted and killed people, they are granted bail in court, what stops the court to grant the two bail? We want them out."
The two farm workers were arrested on Saturday after they allegedly handed themselves in following the murder of AWB leader Terre'Blanche at his farm outside Ventersdorp.
Avoiding confrontation
On Friday, residents braved the rain to attend a meeting called by the Congress of SA Trade Unions in the North West.
Provincial secretary Solly Phetoe said the meeting was held to avoid confrontation between residents and AWB members attending the Terre'Blanche's funeral in the North West town.
The meeting was also used to find a way of retaining calm and discipline among residents.
"We have established a committee to oversee all arrangements leading to court next week, we will be in court but we are not going to march," he said.
The two men accused of the murder would appear in the Ventersdorp Magistrate's Court on April 14.
Phetoe said a provincial march was planned to highlight the exploitation of farm workers at the hands of some "racist farmers".
Farm workers
He criticised government representatives who had attended Terre'Blanche's funeral.
"None of them have been at the funeral of a farm worker killed by a farmer, what is special about Terre'Blanche?" he asked.
Agriculture Minister Tina Joemat Pettersson attended the funeral.
Phetoe will raise the issue via relevant platforms and would continue to highlight the plight of farm workers.
At the meeting, farm workers described the conditions on farms where they worked as "inhuman".
"They treat us unfairly, we are underpaid and we work long hours," said farm worker Leslie Pote.
They feared that after Terre'Blanche's death, it was believed that all black people working on farms had the potential to kill farmers.
The meeting ended with the crowd singing the struggle song Ayasab' amagwala (the cowards are scared) in Zulu, with the words dubul'ibhunu (shoot the Boer) and Umshini Wam.
- SAPA
