AfriForum slams ‘anti-Afrikaner approach, witch hunt’ in Senekal case
Lobby group AfriForum says the decision to deny André Pienaar bail is underpinned by anti-Afrikaner sentiments.
The 52-year-old Pienaar appeared at the Senekal Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday with Magistrate Buti Mlangeni saying the court believes Pienaar’s release could “undermine public peace and security”.
Pienaar was arrested last week for damaging state property after a police vehicle was torched by protestors outside of court.
He was part of a group of protestors which stormed the Senekal Magistrate’s Court, demanding access to the two suspects arrested for the murder of 21-year-old Brendin Horner.
AfriForum’s Ernst Roets says the court’s decision is evidence of a witch hunt against Afrikaners.
“We expected that bail would be denied, or we’re not surprised at least, because it seems to us there is some form of a witch hunt against a group of people based on their identity.
“I don’t think it’s so much racism as it is anti-Afrikaner sentiment that manifests within the system where if you commit violence and the victim of your violence is people of a particular ethnicity and that determines how it will respond to you.
“That’s why we don’t see a proper reaction to farm murders.”
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The court told Pienaar during his appearance on Tuesday that his release would "undermine public peace and security". Magistrates Buti Mlangeni said the court believes Pienaar's release would jeopardise the administration of justice, as it could lead to a potential interference with witnesses and undermine public confidence in the criminal justice system.
He adds the law has not been applied fairly.
“What we are concerned about is that there seems to be a double standard in the way the law is being applied in this case. After what happened in Senekal we had all these cabinet ministers, at least two 2 of them, and the Department of Agriculture and the Free State government issue press statements calling on his swift prosecution while no tangible progress is made with regards to the incident at Clicks and H&M earlier and Julius Malema firing live ammunition into the air.”
Roets believes government’s attempts to intervene have been one-sided and not in favour of the farming community.
“We aren’t satisfied because writing a letter about this and writing a press conference means nothing if it isn’t followed up with action or a proper counter strategy and we don’t have that.”
