Civil unrests intensify on Friday morning as the second appearance for bail of the slain farmer accused draws nearer. Former South Africa President Kgalema Mothlanthe said on Wednesday that the simmering civil unrests engulfing Senekal may tip the Free State town into civil war.
Friday | October 16, 2020
Simmering tensions are rising ahead of a second court appearance for bail application of two men accused of killin Brendan Horner, a farm manager, in Senekal, a small farm town in Free State.
During the first appearance of the accused last week, enraged farmers went on a rampage and torched police car during a protest outside the magistrate court in Senekal.
Today, Oct. 16, the two alleged men are appearancing in court for the second time since the horrific incident.
Last week’s proceedings degenated when protesters in Senekal stormed the court baying for the accused’s heads in connection with the killing of Horner. Commotion and violence broke out. It is also widely reported that firearm shots were fired in court.
The chaotic scenes generated heightened interest and mixed reactions from different parts of the country. Afriforum, a civil rights organisation that vouches to protect the interests of minority groups, especially the Afrikaaners, promised to descend to Senekal for solidarity and beef up farmers protests.
In the same vein, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the third largest political party in South Africa, has sworn to go in numbers to protect democracy and the constitution peacefully. Similarly, the party lambasted the invasion of the court in Senekal by the farmers and the savage vandalism (of state property) as much as they lamented the heinous murder of Horner.
Talking at the Randburg magistrate court after a common assault case for EFF two leaders for pushing a police officer was postponed, party leader Julius Malema urged his party’s rank and file (party) members and supporters to go to Senekal on Friday’s court hearing for bail.
There is apprehensive and uncertainty that potential confrontations may erupt as various interest groups march on the streets of Senekal. Former SA President Kgalema Motlhanthe said that the clash among the protests, mainly the Afriforum and the EFF, may spark civil war. This is so because of the racial rethoric and parochial undertones in the build up to the murder case.
Speaking to Talk Radio 702, Ayanda Dlodlo, the Minister of State Security Agency, assured the South Africans that law enforcement agencies are prepared for any fare up in the Free State town.
The situation on Friday morning was that the security agencies erected barbed wire and barricades between various protesting splinter groups, entry and exit points in and around Senekal. Newzroom Afrika reported in the morning of the court day appearance that most business operators in the area of the small town closed shop for fear of violence explosion.