Terre’Blanche victim buried

ASSAULT: CRIPPLED MOTSHABI DIES OF NATURAL CAUSES

There are still farmers in North West who ill-treat workers, says premier.

Ventersdorp

The whole truth about the assault on former security guard Paul Motshabi has not been revealed, North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo said yesterday. “You see, Motshabi is being buried here,” said Mahumapelo. “Not the whole truth was told about how he was treated by [Eugene] Terre’Blanche and some other Afrikaners on the farms; there are still farmers who ill-treat farm workers in the province.

“And we hope that through our programme of reconciliation, healing and renewal which is going to go through all small dorpies in the province, we will be able to resolve some of the problems.”

Motshabi was left disabled after he was beaten by the late Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB) leader Terre’Blanche. He was crippled and suffered brain damage as a result of the attack and died on August 23 of natural causes.

Mahumapelo said poverty forced people to work on farms. Government intended to go farm by farm to enquire about graves on farms and, where possible, they would be exhumed and reburials conducted in a dignifying manner. “There are some people who are buried next to the roads. We want to know who are they and where are their families or relatives,” he said.

Motshabi’s nephew, Jan Mosegathebe, claimed Terre’Blanche “tortured many people” in Ventersdorp. “Growing up on a farm made you brave. I was one of Terre’Blanche’s victims. I was shoved into the boot of his Mercedes-Benz, he took us to school,” he said to the laughter of mourners.

The mood changed when he narrated how people were found dead in dams, some thrown from bridges.

“I am worried about the families who did not know what happened to their family members. For us [it] is much better, he went to jail and we found closure in a way,” he said.

Motshabi was buried in Tshing yesterday. The hearse carrying him and two other cars in the funeral procession had number plates bearing his name and a photo.

Hundreds of residents turned up for the funeral. They sang hymns and struggle songs to give him a send-off fit for a hero. They described him as a friendly, happy person who had changed after he was assaulted. – ANA