Township residents fear revenge
2010-04-04 18:50
Johannesburg - The murder of Eugene Terre'Blanche, the leader Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB), has been received with mixed feelings in the Tshing township in Ventersdorp.
Some believe his death signalled the beginning of hatred between whites and blacks that was experienced during Terre'Blanche's reign of terror in the area.
John Ndzima, 41, who was assaulted by Terre'Blanche, but had nothing against him said: "That is that. I'm sorry for the family."
Ndzima, a former petrol attendant was assaulted by Terre'Blanche and is now mentally unstable because of it.
His nephew, Hendrik Fanta said his uncle did not comprehend what is meant by Terre'Blanche's dead. "He does not understand you. He is forever shaking his head since he was assaulted.
"He does know that Terre'Blanche was arrested and released and cannot understand anything beyond that."
Fanta said the Ndzima family felt the pain that the Terre'Blanche family felt, but there was nothing they could do as he is dead.
He said the remaining question for his family was who was going to settle the compensation that Terre'Blanche was supposed to pay to the family.
"I'm convinced there's still money he has to pay. I want to know who is going to pay it now that Terre'Blanche is late."
Death meens nothing
A 42-year-old Israel Letlhake from Extension 3, 10km from Terre'Blanche's farm, said he was afraid to go out at night fearing that the whites might attack him to avenge Terre'Blanche's death.
"We are not safe here. That man was cruel."
At Batho Pele tavern, a group of men were drinking and said that Terre'Blanche's death meant nothing to them.
"He does not affect my life, so I don't have a problem with him dying. He is not the first person to die." said 25-year-old Tshepo Moremi.
He said he was still a little boy when Terre'Blanche allegedly terrorised residents in Tshing area.
"I don't have to believe what I've been told. I was born in a new era and I hope for the best."
Kgasop Mongwai, 27, said Terre'Blanche was a cruel man who had killed many people. "Those who kill by the sword will die by the sword," he said.
In town, a man who called himself Hannie said Terre'Blanche did not deserve to die in this cruel manner.
"He does not deserve to die like that, he was a human being and for sure he felt the pain as he [was being] chopped."
Hannie said it was too early to speculate about the situation in the small town.
"Look, it depends on whether we all understand murder as murder, or we tend to blow it out of proportion. If residents in the township are celebrating then the whites will feel offended and this might turn into chaos."
Brushes with law
Over the years, Terre'Blanche had several brushes with the law. He was released on parole about six years ago following an effective five-year prison sentence at Rooigrond for attempting to murder an employee - Paul Motshabi - and for assaulting Ndzima.
Terre'Blanche, 69, was attacked by a man and a teenager, both of whom reportedly worked for him, after they allegedly had an argument over unpaid wages around 18:00 in Venterdorp on Saturday.
He was attacked with a panga and pipe at his North West farm.
A 21-year-old man and 15-year-old boy were arrested for the crime.
- SAPA