Murder accused Chris Mahlangu and his teenage co-accused admitted to stabbing right-wing leader Eugene Terre’Blanche, another farmworker testified on Tuesday.
“On April 3, 2010, I was at my quarters and they came and uttered words that they stabbed Terre’Blanche,” Richard Silane told the high court sitting in Ventersdorp.
“They wanted a phone… and the younger one then phoned the police.”
Silane, who worked on a neighbouring farm, pointed out the minor in court as the person who made the phone call.
“When they finished, they said they were leaving and that police would find them along the way,” he testified.
“They then proceeded on a road to Terre’Blanche’s place … I never saw them again.”
The pair are accused of killing Terre’Blanche at his North West farmhouse in April last year over a wage dispute. Both have pleaded not guilty to murder, housebreaking and attempted robbery with aggravating circumstances.
Incriminating statement
Earlier, the judge ruled that the bail affidavit of Chris Mahlangu may be included in his trial on charges of murdering AWB leader Eugene Terre’Blanche.
“It is far-fetched to say that he was unaware of the implications. The accused made the affidavit knowingly and intelligently. He knew it could be used against him in trial,” he said.
“The accused admitted it as evidence with full knowledge and it cannot be grasped that he did not know the consequences. I don’t believe there will be prejudice.”
Parts of the document, which was handed in during the bail hearing, were read out in court by prosecutor George Baloyi.
In it, Mahlangu said there was a scuffle over wages between him, his minor co-accused and Terre’Blanche on April 3 last year.
The court heard that Terre’Blanche carried his panga with him wherever he went and that he attempted to use it that day.
“When the two confronted him about wages, he used it [the panga] in an attempt to attack them. They acted in self-defence,” Baloyi quoted Mahlangu’s previous attorney Puna Morokoa as having said.
“They had a scuffle and eventually the deceased died. I don’t want to get into details about who jumped on who.”
Moroko said Mahlangu and the teenager had ample time to disappear, but chose to contact police and hand themselves in.
Affidavit contested
The state had applied to have the affidavit, which was submitted during Mahlangu’s bail hearing, included in his trial.
However, his lawyer Kgomotso Tlouane opposed the move, saying his client was not aware of the implications of the statement and asked that it not be used.
Prosecutor George Baloyi argued that Mahlangu (28) had been told of his rights and had consented to making the statement.
Mahlangu and a teenager are accused of hacking Terre’Blanche to death in his farmhouse in North West last year.
They have both pleaded not guilty to murder, housebreaking and attempted robbery with aggravating circumstances. — Sapa
For more on the life and times of the slain AWB leader, visit our special report.
