YCLSA-TAU SA on Statement Eugene Terreblanche's Murder Irresponsible and Divisive
7 April 2010
The Young Communist League of South Africa (uFasimba) notes with disgust the statement issued by the leader of TAU SA, Ben Marais (see here). We regard it as irresponsible and divisive and a declaration of war on innocent farm workers and dwellers. The statement equally seeks to blow out of proportion the violent murder of Eugene Terreblanche, attributing it to a "government orchestrated" plot to eliminate white farm owners.
TAU SA's call for the arming of white farmers and the establishment of shooting clubs in defense of farm owners is tantamount to fuelling an already tense situation which our government is doing everything to ensure that it remains calm.
The "swaart-gevaar" mentality instigated by TAU SA will do nothing but give irresponsible white farmers to illegally dismiss farm workers and evict them from "their property" en-masse in order to create farms into war zones between evicted and dismissed farm workers and farmers. It is unfortunate that TAU SA is doing this with a full understanding of the repercussions, that it will exacerbate a panic mode amongst both farmers and workers and create an unstable relationship which can push the country into ultimate chaos.
We call on all political formations, civil society and TAU SA in particular not to use this act for political gains and to try and divert critical issues such as land-ownership, power relations between farmers and workers, and the issues of national reconciliation and nation building. We further call on all those who have been equating the murder of Terreblanche to the singing of a struggle song to stop this opportunism and let the law take its course. The song, "Ayesaba Magwala" does not belong to Julius Malema, but belongs to the entire fibre and history of our struggle and to outlaw its singing by Malema will never stop us from singing the song.
If TAU SA is allowed to call for the arming of farmers, this is equal to a declaration of war and therefore, failure by police to intervene in this regard should inevitably lead to farm workers unions and political formations to arm workers in their own defense. Marais is therefore doing no good for the plight of farm owners. We call on Ben Marais to retract his statement with immediate effect and apologise to the nation for such a statement.
We further reiterate the statement by our North West province that we will mobilise funds to support the two youngsters so that they receive the best legal defense. This does not in any way speak to their guilt or innocence, but is in recognition of the power relations in society and that the odds are greatly tilted against them. We applaud Zola Majavu for having agreed to represent one of the workers.
Statement issued by the YCLSA National Secretary, Buti Manamela, April 7 2010
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