The Boeremag treason trial resumes in the Pretoria High Court on Monday after a break of about two-months.
The trial was postponed on December 3 to give defence advocates time to study about 800 pages of a police informer’s file, which formed the basis of the state’s treason allegations against the 22 men in the dock.
The accused men are standing trial for allegedly plotting a coup d’etat as members of the right-wing Boeremag organisation.
They face 42 charges ranging from murder and attempted murder to treason, terrorism, sabotage, and arms and explosives violations.
The trial was to have started last May, but only got underway in October after numerous delays caused by wrangling with the Legal Aid Board and complaints of the accused being maltreated in prison.
The trial kicked off with evidence from police informer Johannes Coenraad Smit, who claims to have infiltrated the right-wing organisation’s inner circle as part of an under-cover operation.
Smit, a former Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB) member, told the court how the Boeremag planned to ”chase” all blacks and Indians out of the country, blow up power stations, take over defence force bases and eliminate ”enemies” of the Boers.
The defence’s cross-examination of Smit is expected to last for most of February. – Sapa