An urgent bid to free right-wing leader Eugene Terre’Blanche after an alleged parole violation over the weekend was proceeding in the Pretoria High Court, his lawyer said on Monday.
Lawyer Gerrie Basson, who has described Terre’Blanche’s arrest as “blatant harassment” by the Department of Correctional Services, said the department had until 10am on Monday to retract the warrant of arrest for Terre’Blanche, but did not do so.
“We were hoping they would respond positively, but obviously [they have] not,” he said.
Terre’Blanche was arrested on Sunday after giving a religious talk at the Bethlehem Town Hall.
Basson said this is what his client has been doing to earn an income since his release on parole from Potchefstroom prison on June 11 this year.
Under Terre’Blanche’s parole conditions he may not leave the magisterial districts of Ventersdorp and Potchefstroom without permission.
Basson said Terre’Blanche was to speak in Wolmaransstad but the Department of Correctional Services refused to give permission for this, despite having done so in the past.
Basson and Terre’Blanche asked the High Court in Pretoria on Saturday to overturn the department’s refusal.
An agreement was reached with the department at court on Saturday. This was confirmed by Judge Hekkie Daniels on Saturday evening in time for Terre’Blanche to attend Sunday’s meeting in Bethlehem.
“But Correctional Services then issued a warrant for Terre’Blanche’s arrest on Sunday because he made the trip to Pretoria to attend his own hearing on Saturday. This is blatant violation of his constitutional rights,” Basson said.
Terre’Blanche, who is said to be in a “very bad mood”, is currently being detained in Potchefstroom prison.
The former leader of the ultra-right-wing Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging was released from prison in June after serving three years of a five-year sentence for the attempted murder of security guard Paul Motshabi in 1996. — Sapa
Terre’Blanche spends night in jail