Supporters of a murdered white right-wing leader on Monday withdrew their threat of violence as South Africa sought to allay safety fears prior to the summer’s soccer World Cup.
The far-right Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB) movement had initially sworn to avenge the killing of its leader, Eugene Terre’Blanche, on Saturday, warning fans to think twice about visiting “a land of murder.”
However, on Monday, Pieter Steyn, a general in the AWB, said: “Our membership is very, very shocked, angry and horrified. In the heat of the moment, certain statements were made and I would like to retract those statements. It is the philosophy of the AWB that no member will engage in any form of violence, intimidation, racial slandering or anything of that matter. It is, however, very difficult to contain our members and keep them calm.”
Steyn said the AWB “is not going to engage in any form of violent retaliation to avenge Mr Terre’Blanche’s death,” adding: “We appeal for people to remain calm.”
The U-turn came after South African President Jacob Zuma and other political leaders warned against inflaming racial unrest two months before the country hosts Africa’s first World Cup.
The ruling African National Congress (ANC) moved to limit damage arising from the AWB’s earlier threats.
Jackson Mthembu, a spokesman for the ANC, said: “We are confident in hosting a successful and racially free 2010 soccer World Cup.”
“We do not see any linkage between our hosting of the World Cup and the death of Mr Terre’Blanche,” he said.
South African Minister of Safety and Security Nathi Mthethwa added: “I can say that with our tough stance in the fight against crime we are starting to see the results. There will be no person who commits crime in South Africa and kills people or a person, and gets away scot free without the full might of the law.”
About 450,000 visitors were originally predicted to attend the month-long World Cup, although slow take-up of hotel rooms suggests the real figure will be lower.
South Africa has been under constant scrutiny ahead of the tournament because of its high rate of violent crime.
South African Institute of Race Relations vice president Lawrence Schlemmer said: “There is no reason why these things, as tragic as they are, should affect the safety of fans or players at the World Cup.”
The face of 69-year-old Terre’Blanche was reported to be “unrecognizable” after he was battered and hacked to death in what police described as a wage dispute with two black farm workers.
The mother of one of the suspects, a 15-year-old, claimed her son had struck Terre’Blanche with an iron rod.
“My son admitted that they did the killing,” she said.
“He said that the [other worker] told him to wait while he went to the storeroom. He came back with an iron rod. He started hitting Terre’Blanche,” she said.
The two suspects, the other aged 28, were due in court in Ventersdorp yesterday.
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