Zuma appeals for calm

2010-04-04 08:10

 Johannesburg - President Jacob Zuma on Saturday appealed for calm and warned against "agent provocateurs" inciting violence following the alleged murder of Eugene Terre'Blanche.

"The President appeals for calm following this terrible deed and asks South Africans not to allow agent provocateurs to take advantage of this situation by inciting or fuelling racial hatred," said the presidency in a statement.

According to the police, Terre'Blanche was allegedly murdered by two of his farm labourers following a pay dispute.

"In any dispute, especially in a country like South Africa where we uphold the rule of law, no one is allowed to take the law into his own hands," said Zuma in a statement.

"It against this background that the murder of Terre’Blanche must be condemned, irrespective of how his killers think they may have been justified. They had no right to take his life."

Zuma said he "condemns in the strongest possible terms" the killing of Terre'Blanche.

He also offered his condolences to Terre'Blanche's family.

- SAPA