A Limpopo farmer told the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday morning about his involvement in an alleged right-wing plot to topple the government.
Testifying against his alleged co-plotters, Lourens du Plessis gave evidence of several meetings where plans were discussed to take over military bases and police stations.
He agreed at the time that a coup d’état was the only way of improving the situation of white South Africans and ensuring their survival, the millionaire Thabazimbi farmer told the court.
He implicated several of the 22 Boeremag trialists in the coup plot — mainly Mike du Toit, who Du Plessis said had taken the coup planning upon himself.
Du Plessis said Du Toit had given him a copy of the Boeremag’s so-called Document 12 — which outlines the coup planning.
He testified that it provided for several stages which involved, among other things, chasing all black people out of the country and taking over defence force bases, police stations, radio stations, food suppliers like Makro and army medical stores.
Du Plessis said he was elected to ”command” the former Northern Transvaal region and to gather about 500 combatants. In total, Document 12 provided for 5 000 men countrywide.
The matter was adjourned ahead of the normal lunch hour to try to fix the courtroom’s sound system. Several of 22 accused men complained that they were unable to follow Du Plessis’s evidence from the dock.
They face 42 charges ranging from treason and terrorism, murder and attempted murder to the illegal possession of arms, ammunition and explosives. Du Plessis was arrested in connection with the case in August 2002 but turned State witness.
The court is expected to view a video after the lunch adjournment on the prophesies of Boer seer ”Siener” van Rensburg, which allegedly played a huge role in the political views of the alleged coup plotters. – Sapa