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COURT-LD-RIGHTWING by Andre Grobler
BLOEMFONTEIN Jan 27 Sapa
MANGAUNG 'ATTACK' WAS TO IGNITE 'VOLK'
An apparent plot to attack on President Jacob Zuma and Cabinet members was intended to ignite the "Boerevolk" into action against the ANC, the Bloemfontein High Court heard on Monday.
This was the testimony of a police spy, identified only as Mr A under a court ruling.
He said one of the accused in the alleged plot, Martin Keevy, had said God wanted him to start war.
"He talked about drawing a line and 1/8said 3/8 the ANC could not manage the country any more."
Mr A testified that Keevy said something had to be done, and that "an attack 1/8at Mangaung 3/8 would ignite the Boerevolk, which would follow".
The evidence was being led in the trial of Johan Prinsloo, 50, accused of treason and terrorism for allegedly planning to attack the ANC’s 2012 elective conference in Bloemfontein.
The "Boerevolk" is a loose collective noun for rightwing Afrikaners seeking an independent homeland based on the old Transvaal and Orange Free State Republics, which lost their independence to British colonialism.
Keevy, 49, was declared unfit to stand trial in October, and was declared a patient of the State President.
Mr A told the court Keevy had indicated he was not part of any political party and that he was working on his own.
Mr A said he and several undercover special force police members met Prinsloo other alleged plotters for the first time at a hotel in Ficksburg early in December 2012.
The rightwingers needed weapons for their planned attack of December 15, dubbed "The Battle of Mangaung.
The undercover police officers pretended to be disgruntled former army operatives, who supported the rightwing cause.
The weapons did not arrive from Lesotho because of a strong-flowing Caledon River, the court heard.
In a follow-up meeting, the alleged plotters' weapons supplier "Petrus" could again not cross the Caledon River.
Mr A said the group of rightwingers tried to get firearms everywhere that night.
"The discussions went on the whole night, looking for weapons everywhere," he said.
Last year, another rightwinger arrested with Prinsloo, Mark Trollip, 48, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to eight years in prison.
The trial continues.
Sapa
/ag/tk/hdw/ks/cls 01/27/14 19-03