ET case postponed

658 Chris Mahlangu and Patrick Ndlovu sit in the dock at Ventersdorp court before judgement is delivered for the murder of AWB leader Eugene Tereblanche. 220512. Picture: Bongiwe Mchunu

658 Chris Mahlangu and Patrick Ndlovu sit in the dock at Ventersdorp court before judgement is delivered for the murder of AWB leader Eugene Tereblanche. 220512. Picture: Bongiwe Mchunu

Published Jun 18, 2012

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Sentencing of the man who killed rightwing leader Eugene Terre'Blanche was postponed on Monday by the High Court sitting in Ventersdorp.

"This matter is then postponed until August 20 to 24," Judge John Horn said.

Chris Mahlangu was convicted last month of hacking Terre'Blanche  to death at his farmhouse in April 2010, and of trying to rob him.

He was also convicted, with Patrick Ndlovu, of housebreaking with the intent to steal. Ndlovu, who was a minor at the time of the murder, was acquitted of murder and attempted robbery.

Sentencing procedures were postponed so that a psychologist's report on Mahlangu could be updated, and so probation officer Johan  Engel could complete his report on Ndlovu.

Mahlangu would remain in prison in Potchefstroom. Ndlovu would remain in a place of safety in Klerksdorp.

When the matter resumed, arguments in mitigation and aggravation  of sentence would be made.

Crowds of people gathered outside the court from early on Monday  morning in anticipation of the outcome of sentencing proceedings.

Some people held knobkerries. One, who held a teddybear dressed in an Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging T-shirt, said the toy was named after Andre Visagie, the leader of the rightwing splinter group Gelofde Volk.

Local Congress of SA Trade Unions secretary John Tau said the community had mixed feelings about the sentencing.

"We are hoping for light sentences."

He said he was convinced police had made mistakes in their investigations.

Supporters of the Gelofte Volk and the AWB were outside court to  show their support for Terre'Blanche.

They were dressed in army uniforms and had the Vierkleur (the old flag of the Transvaal) attached to their cars.

Police were on high alert outside the court in bakkies, Nyalas and on horseback.

During the previous court appearance, Horn rejected claims that Terre'Blanche had sodomised Mahlangu.

He said Mahlangu had used the semen-like fluid seen on Terre'Blanche's genitals as an opportunity to use sodomy as a defence.

Horn said the notion that the substance had been semen was never  proved.

He further rubbished Mahlangu's claim that he had acted in self-defence and said there was no evidence that Terre'Blanche was killed because of his political views.

Horn found that the dispute between Mahlangu and Terre'Blanche was over wages.

While Terre'Blanche was portrayed as arrogant and violent, neither of the accused testified about this.

Ndlovu's name was made public for the first time in May. His trial was held in camera as he was a minor at the time of the murder. He turned 18 in April. - Sapa

 

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