/ 11 June 2004

Terre’Blanche: ‘Don’t fall off your horse’

Right-wing leader Eugene Terre’Blanche took to the streets of Potchefstroom on a black horse on Friday to wild cheers from a mainly black audience who shouted ”Welcome out” and tried to shake his hand.

A group of onlookers called ”Don’t fall off your horse” as Terre’Blanche mounted the horse named Attilla. He was followed through the streets of Potchefstroom by a crowd of black onlookers singing African National Congress freedom songs and chanting ”Viva ANC” and ”Viva SACP (SA Communist Party)”, and a handful of Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB) supporters in vehicles.

Terre’Blanche’s lawyer Gerrie Basson told reporters Terre’Blanche had been treated unfairly in prison.

”I have dealt with several complaints… he was victimised, harassed, some stuff of his had been broken. It comes with the territory. He was not staying in a hotel.”

Basson said they would probably not pursue the complaint.

The 60-year-old AWB leader was granted parole after serving three years of an effective five-year sentence for the 1996 attempted murder of security guard Paul Motshabi.

Earlier on Friday he left Rooigrond prison near Mafikeng and was taken to Potchefstroom to sign the parole register, committing himself to abiding by a list of conditions. – Sapa