There was no proof that the singing of Ayesaba Amagwala was linked to the murder of right-wing leader Eugene Terre’Blanche, said a judge in the Pretoria High Court, according to Beeld newspaper on Friday.
Judge Joe Raulinga made the statement while giving the reasons for his ruling on the logistics of media coverage for the Terre’Blanche murder trial.
He said there had been speculation in the media about a link between the singing of the controversial song — translated as “The cowards are scared”, which contains the lyrics “Dubul’ ibhunu”, or “Kill the boer” — and Terre’Blanche’s killing.
Based on the facts before him, Raulinga said there was no evidence of a link between the song and the crime.
Raulinga had earlier ruled that the media and family and of the slain Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging leader would only be allowed to follow proceedings in an adjoining room with a closed-circuit television (CCTV) link to the court.
This was in order to protect the identity of one of the accused — a minor — said Raulinga.
Only 16 journalists and four of Terre’Blanche’s family would be allocated seats in the CCTV room.
Last April, the 60-year-old white supremacist leader was bludgeoned to death, allegedly by two of his farm workers, Chris Mahlangu (28) and the minor who cannot be named.
The trial was expected to start on Monday.
African National Congress Youth League leader Julius Malema is currently defending the singing of Ayesaba Amagwala in a case before the Equality Court, which was brought against him by Afrikaner lobby group AfriForum. – Sapa