Police were still searching on Thursday night for two Boeremag treason trial accused who escaped from the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday.
”No there is nothing yet. We are still searching and will alert the media if there are any developments,” said Director Sally de Beer, national police spokesperson.
Anyone who has seen the escaped accused, or who has information about them, should phone a newly set-up hotline: 073-650-7502.
Herman van Rooyen and Rudi Gouws disappeared from the Pretoria High Court where their trial — with 20 others — for treason was being heard.
”We warn people not to confront these two as they are considered dangerous,” De Beer said.
She said they might have disguised themselves after their pictures were published in Thursday’s newspapers.
”They obviously do not want to come back, so we ask that members of the public contact the police if they are spotted,” she added.
Judge Eben Jordaan gave no indication on Thursday how the escape would influence the trial of the accused still in custody. He postponed the case to May 15 to give police a chance to catch the escapees.
Also on Thursday Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour said the remaining accused would not be treated any differently and no extra security measures would be taken.
”There is no reason to increase security. They did not escape from a security complex, it happened at court,” Balfour said.
The remaining 20 would be treated the same as other prisoners. ”There will be no more or no less focus on them.”
Balfour said the two had escaped on the police’s watch, not that of his department. ”I want to make it clear that it was not my people who took the Boeremag trialists to court.”
He said he received phone calls from people asking him why correctional services let the two escape, and had to explain they were under police supervision when they escaped.
Balfour said he did not have all the details of the escape, but pleaded to judges not to ask officials to remove the hand and feet cuffs of prisoners. ”If it was us or if it was the police … we know the risk profile of the people we take care of. Some are highly dangerous,” Balfour said.
”I hope the police get those two guys back. They must face the music like anyone else,” he added.
Van Rooyen (33) and Rudi Gouws (28) went missing during the lunch hour recess. One of them had allegedly bankrolled the organisation.
Van Rooyen was caught in Pretoria in December 2002 in a bakkie allegedly rigged with 384kg of explosives and two bags of nuts and bolts for shrapnel.
At the time it was speculated that the car bomb was meant for a soccer game between Kaizer Chiefs and Sundowns at Loftus Versfeld.
Van Rooyen was believed to have access to a R40-million inheritance and to be bankrolling the Boeremag’s activities.
The evening before Van Rooyen’s arrest, Gouws was caught when he was lured into a police trap in Pretoria.
Their trial began in late 2003. Along with them were 20 other men, also charged with plotting a rightwing coup d’etat. They face 42 charges including murder, attempted murder, treason, terrorism, sabotage and arms and explosives offences.
At one stage the accused threatened urgent legal action when Correctional Services informed them they were to be put in communal
cells while their single cells were being renovated at Pretoria Local Prison.
In 2004 a woman due to visit Van Rooyen was caught trying to smuggle five pre-paid telephone cards and a personal letter to him.
This year several witnesses testified about the explosions that rocked Soweto and the Buddhist Temple in Bronkhorstspruit, allegedly set off as part of the Boeremag’s campaign. – Sapa