20100413
SABC

The Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB) claims large numbers of people are joining the far right wing organisation after the brutal murder of its former leader Eugene Terre'Blanche. Terre'Blanche was bludgeoned and hacked to death at his farm outside Ventersdorp almost two weeks ago. Two farm workers have been arrested and have appeared in court.

"Our membership is rocketing because the people are fed-up of murders, crimes and the way the ANC government is running this country. I honestly can tell you that our membership is rocketing," says AWB spokesperson, Pieter Steyn.

Steyn has dismissed reports that they are regrouping in order to participate in the forthcoming local government and general elections. He says they are a cultural group that believes in self determination.

"We are a cultural organisation - we are not involved in politics. We are not a political party, we are the boere-volk and what we are saying is that we want our homeland where we can govern ourselves according to our religion, our beliefs, without Nigerian drug lords, abortion, prostitution and corruption and all those horrible things that we are seeing in our communities," adds Steyn.

Death threat

Meanwhile, a former Bophuthatswana policeman who shot dead three AWB members in 1994 is living in fear for his life after finding a threatening note in his room recently. Ontlametse Menyatsoe, who is a member of the SAPF in the North West, discovered the note in his room at the Hammanskraal Police College where he was on a course.

The note read: "Wat ek belowe aan jou is pyn, hartseer, honger of self die dood. Pasop" (What I promise you is pain, heartache, hunger and death. Beware).

Gauteng provincial police spokesperson Captain Julia Claassen has confirmed that police are investigating a case of intimidation.