The AWB is not concerned about possible violence which may result from ‘the march, AWB chief secretary Kays Smit said yesterday. ”That would just make it nicer for us. Mores-twill fly. ”We would prefer it if trouble erupted because we thrive on that and we are prepared for any eventuality.” The march – to protest against the continued detention of a suspect in Pretoria’s Melrose House bomb blast and the government’s recent release of political prisoners – will be held in Welkom because it is a ”national focal point and a good place for our purposes”, Smit said.
The AWB yesterday received permission from local magistrate JP Seaman to hold the march. Marchers may not carry weapons or batons, mount horses or be accompanied by dogs, police representative Lieutenant Ina Barkhuizen said. The movement plans to march from North Park in Welkom to the police station to present the station commander with a petition demanding the release of AWB head office worker JP Meyer. Meyer was detained on the-weekend of June 3 and 4, with Jan de Bruyn and Arthur Guderian, in connection with the May 26 explosives attack on Melrose House, where the Treaty of Vereeniging was signed in 1901.
The men are being held under Section 29 of the Internal Security Act and, according to Smit, Meyer’s family and lawyers have not been informed where he is being held. The day after his detention he was held in Potchefstroom and the following day· he was taken to Klerksdorp, said Smit. ”After that we did not know of his whereabouts. It seems they are afraid that we might come. The day after his detention he was held in Potchefstroom and the follow¬ing day he was taken to Klerksdorp, said Smit.
”After that we did not know of his whereabouts. It seems they are afraid that we might come and succour him. ”We even approached (the Minister of Law and Order) Adriaan Vlok with no success. All we want is for the man to see his lawyer, minister and family. They better charge him or else release him,” Smit warned. Smit distanced his organisation from the explosion that caused damage estimated at R250 000 to the National Union of Mineworkers’ Welkom headquarters this weekend.
Mine captain Hendrik Steyn (30) was detained late on Sunday evening in con¬nection with the blast and is being held under Section 29 of the Internal Security Act. A second man, Richard Haswell of Welkom, was detained on Wednesday night and is being held under the Criminal Procedures Act.
NUM publicity officer Jerry Majatladi said it was clear that the blast had been perpetrated by people with expert knowledge of explosives. He appealed to mineworkers to conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, even under conditions of extreme provocation. ”It is imperative that we forge unity across the colour line and isolate the incorrigible elements which are determined to frustrate all efforts aimed at bringing stability and peace,” he said.
*A new ultra right-wing group which split off from the AWB plans to become the military wing of the Boerestaatparty.
This article originally appeared in the Weekly Mail.
