YCL North West on the death of Eugene Terreblanche

The YCL in North West learned with shock but not surprised about the death of Eugene Terreblanche, a leader of the AWB. We do not condone the death of any living individual, however, the death of Eugene Terreblance is a sigh of relieve to many young people in particular and the working class in general, who have overtime being exploited and terrorised by this heartless man.

We are calling on the public, including the media and some political leaders and commentators, not to elevate this case to a status where it does not belong. This is not a political case but a normal murder case which could happen to any person. We reject in all forms, statements attributing the death of Eugene to the struggle song sang by Cde Julius Malema in all his platforms. Terror Lekota and his cahoots, the like of Chris Hattingh of the DA, must not manufacture false statements on the death of Eugene but rather speak to the real issues that caused this murder which are exploitation, Child labour and tremendous abuse and terrorism of farm people by Eugene Terreblanche. No one is touching on this fundamental issues bordering on the human rights of farm people trembled upon by Eugene Terreblanche and his fellow farmers.

This sudden brouhaha on the death of Terreblanche confirms our long held view that the life of a white person is more important than that of a black person in this country. This is not a racial statement but an indication of reality because many black people have been murdered mistaken with baboons and animals by white people and there have never been any noise, except from COSATU, on such killings.

The YCL in North West is not surprised by non-sensical rhetoric from COPE because Terror Lekota and Eugene Terreblance are the same, both are staunch anti-communists. We will not be surprised to learn that COPE and AWB are in a coalition of murdering our people, because this is what AWB has become to be known of and COPE has turned itself into a clone of any white political party. We have a list of people who are victims of AWB murders under the leadership of Eugene Terreblanche and Terror Lekota has never said a word in relation to such. We will wait in anticipation for his response to the hoisting of an apartheid flag by AWB members in Ventersdorp court.

Our concern is that these young people who are accused of killing Terreblanche will not receive a fair trial because of the quasi- political status given to this case. We will make a representation to government, COSATU and its affiliated union of FAWU, to provide legal assistance to these young people in order for them to receive a fair and just trial. We will equally engage North West government on the availability of the police on a 24hour basis in the surrounding areas of Ventersdorp to ensure maximum security for community members. We know what AWB is capable of doing. They have done it before and there is absolutely nothing that will prevent them from repeating what they did pre-1994, of killing our people in numbers in the road blocks in mid-nights.

Statement issued by Mike Mokhutshane, YCL North West provincial secretary, April 6 2010

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