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Calm urged after S Africa killing | Calm urged after S Africa killing |
(about 5 hours later) | |
South African President Jacob Zuma has called for calm after white supremacist leader Eugene Terreblanche was killed. | |
South Africans must not let anyone take advantage of the "terrible deed" by inciting racial hatred, Mr Zuma said. | |
Police have arrested two farm workers who they say beat Mr Terreblanche to death in a dispute over wages. | |
Mr Terreblanche's far-right movement is urging its members to be calm. It says his murder has political overtones, a claim the governing ANC rejects. | |
'Must be condemned' | 'Must be condemned' |
Mr Terreblanche, 69, was attacked on Saturday evening at home on his farm near the town of Ventersdorp, North West province. | |
TERREBLANCHE: KEY DATES 1941: Born on farm in Transvaal town of Ventersdorp1973: Co-founds AWB to protect rights of Boers' descendants1993: AWB vehicle smashes into World Trade Centre in Jo'burg during talks to end apartheid1994: AWB invades tribal homeland of Bophuthatswana and is defeated; three AWB men die1998: Accepts moral blame for 1994 bombings that killed 212001: Jailed for attempted murder of farm-worker2004: Released from prison Obituary: Eugene Terreblanche Terreblanche: Your comments Life in pictures | |
Two males, aged 21 and 15, have been charged with his murder, said police. | |
His body was found with facial and head injuries on a bed, after he was apparently attacked with a machete and a wooden club. | His body was found with facial and head injuries on a bed, after he was apparently attacked with a machete and a wooden club. |
Mr Terreblanche came to prominence in the early 1980s, campaigning for a separate white homeland and championing a tiny minority determined to preserve apartheid. | Mr Terreblanche came to prominence in the early 1980s, campaigning for a separate white homeland and championing a tiny minority determined to preserve apartheid. |
Mr Zuma's office said in a statement: "The president appeals for calm... and asks South Africans not to allow agent provocateurs to take advantage of this situation by inciting or fuelling racial hatred. | Mr Zuma's office said in a statement: "The president appeals for calm... and asks South Africans not to allow agent provocateurs to take advantage of this situation by inciting or fuelling racial hatred. |
"The murder of Terreblanche must be condemned, irrespective of how his killers think they may have been justified. They had no right to take his life." | "The murder of Terreblanche must be condemned, irrespective of how his killers think they may have been justified. They had no right to take his life." |
The BBC's Karen Allen in Johannesburg says the murder comes amid growing anxiety about crime in South Africa. | The BBC's Karen Allen in Johannesburg says the murder comes amid growing anxiety about crime in South Africa. |
Opposition politicians linked the death to racially inflammatory sentiments from a minority of the ruling ANC party. | Opposition politicians linked the death to racially inflammatory sentiments from a minority of the ruling ANC party. |
ANALYSIS Martin Plaut, Africa editor | ANALYSIS Martin Plaut, Africa editor |
For most South Africans, Eugene Terreblanche was a throwback to another era. But his death is a blow to the country's image of racial tolerance, fostered so carefully by Nelson Mandela. | For most South Africans, Eugene Terreblanche was a throwback to another era. But his death is a blow to the country's image of racial tolerance, fostered so carefully by Nelson Mandela. |
Some are likely to believe that the fact that his alleged attackers were arrested so rapidly smacks of a cover-up. Others, on the minority far-right fringe, will see his death as a vindication of their assertion that whites cannot live under black rule. | Some are likely to believe that the fact that his alleged attackers were arrested so rapidly smacks of a cover-up. Others, on the minority far-right fringe, will see his death as a vindication of their assertion that whites cannot live under black rule. |
It is a tragic fact that more than 3,000 white farmers have been murdered since the end of apartheid in 1994. And it is possible that some people may seek retribution. | It is a tragic fact that more than 3,000 white farmers have been murdered since the end of apartheid in 1994. And it is possible that some people may seek retribution. |
Mr Terreblanche's funeral could become a rallying point for such sentiment. | Mr Terreblanche's funeral could become a rallying point for such sentiment. |
During a news conference in Ventersdorp on Sunday, South African Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa cautioned against stoking tensions. | During a news conference in Ventersdorp on Sunday, South African Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa cautioned against stoking tensions. |
"We call on all South Africans across whatever divide - across the racial divide, across the political divide - to desist from making any inflammatory statements which are not going to help anyway on the case we are dealing with," he said. | "We call on all South Africans across whatever divide - across the racial divide, across the political divide - to desist from making any inflammatory statements which are not going to help anyway on the case we are dealing with," he said. |
Meanwhile, relatives and friends of Mr Terreblanche gathered near his home to pay their respects. | Meanwhile, relatives and friends of Mr Terreblanche gathered near his home to pay their respects. |
His Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (Afrikaner Resistance Movement - AWB) echoed Mr Zuma's call for calm. | His Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (Afrikaner Resistance Movement - AWB) echoed Mr Zuma's call for calm. |
AWB spokesman Andre Visagie said: "We will decide upon the action we are going to take to avenge Mr Terreblanche's death," adding that next steps would await a party meeting in May. | AWB spokesman Andre Visagie said: "We will decide upon the action we are going to take to avenge Mr Terreblanche's death," adding that next steps would await a party meeting in May. |
He earlier blamed the killing on the recent singing of an apartheid-era song - "kill the Boer, kill the farmer" - by a firebrand ANC leader. | |
ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu said he did not think Mr Terreblanche's murder was politically motivated. | |
"No one can bring any evidence... linking this song to the death of Mr Terreblanche," he told the BBC. | |
'Explosive situation' | 'Explosive situation' |
Last week, South Africa's High Court banned ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema from singing "kill the Boer". It ruled the song was hate speech, but the ANC is appealing. | Last week, South Africa's High Court banned ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema from singing "kill the Boer". It ruled the song was hate speech, but the ANC is appealing. |
Boer is Afrikaans for a farmer, but is sometimes used as a disparaging term for any white in South Africa. | Boer is Afrikaans for a farmer, but is sometimes used as a disparaging term for any white in South Africa. |
A spokeswoman for the opposition Democratic Alliance party, Juanita Terblanche, no relation, said: "[Mr Terreblanche's killing] happened in a province where racial tension in the rural farming community is increasingly being fuelled by irresponsible racist utterances." | A spokeswoman for the opposition Democratic Alliance party, Juanita Terblanche, no relation, said: "[Mr Terreblanche's killing] happened in a province where racial tension in the rural farming community is increasingly being fuelled by irresponsible racist utterances." |
The minority party Freedom Front Plus called on people to refrain from reacting emotionally. | The minority party Freedom Front Plus called on people to refrain from reacting emotionally. |
"The murder creates an explosive situation and is condemned in the strongest possible terms," party spokesman Pieter Groenewald said. | "The murder creates an explosive situation and is condemned in the strongest possible terms," party spokesman Pieter Groenewald said. |
More than 3,000 white farmers are estimated to have been murdered since the end of apartheid in 1994. | More than 3,000 white farmers are estimated to have been murdered since the end of apartheid in 1994. |
A committee of inquiry found in 2003 only 2% of farm attacks had a political or racial motive, although critics said this figure was far too low. | A committee of inquiry found in 2003 only 2% of farm attacks had a political or racial motive, although critics said this figure was far too low. |
Mr Terreblanche had founded the white supremacist AWB in 1973, to oppose what he regarded as the liberal policies of the then-South African government. | Mr Terreblanche had founded the white supremacist AWB in 1973, to oppose what he regarded as the liberal policies of the then-South African government. |
His party tried terrorist tactics and threatened civil war in the run-up to South Africa's first democratic elections, before sliding into relative obscurity. | His party tried terrorist tactics and threatened civil war in the run-up to South Africa's first democratic elections, before sliding into relative obscurity. |
Mr Terreblanche served three years in jail after being convicted in 2001 of the attempted murder of a farm worker. | Mr Terreblanche served three years in jail after being convicted in 2001 of the attempted murder of a farm worker. |