ANC member charged with murder of farm couple

In the second prosecution of apartheid-era crimes not covered by an amnesty, the state has charged an ANC member with the murder of a farmer and his wife 19 years ago.

Ronnie Blani, 41, was allegedly part of a group of eight members of the then-banned ANC Youth League driven by the slogan "Kill the farmer, kill the boer". He did not apply for amnesty and is now facing two counts of murder for the brutal killing of farmer Koos de Jager and his wife Myrtle on June 17, 1985.

In the first prosecution, apartheid security police officer Gideon Niewoudt was arrested in February and charged with the 1985 murder of the Pebco Three - Sipho Hashe, Qaquwili Godolozi and Champion Galela - popular leaders of the ANC-inspired uprising in the Eastern Cape.

Blani fled to Angola soon after the killings. Niewoudt applied for amnesty to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission but it was denied in June 1999 because he had failed to make a full disclosure of his crimes. He was also denied amnesty for the Motherwell bombing of three fellow security police officers and an informer suspected of having defected to the ANC.

Niewoudt is out on R50 000 bail and the case now hinges on Niewoudt's appeal against the TRC's refusal of amnesty. Blani was the only one of the group of eight to escape capture. Two, Ndumiso Siphenuka, 25, and Makwezana Menze, 42, were found guilty and were hanged in 1989. Two others, Similo Wonci and Mziwoxolo Makeleni, had their death sentences commuted at the last minute to life in jail and were later pardoned by President Thabo Mbeki and freed with three other members serving long jail terms. Blani fled to Angola soon after the killings and returned to South Africa only in 1992.

Twelve years later, Blani appeared in the Kirkwood magistrate's court on Tuesday, and his case was postponed to July 19 at the same court. He was warned to appear. It was his third appearance. On June 25 and 28, the case was postponed without charges being put to him. Blani said on Tuesday that he had not approached the TRC for amnesty because he thought he had returned home under a "blanket amnesty" for all exiles. One of the group of eight, Similo Wonci, on Tuesday condemned the prosecution. "We were all pardoned and I don't understand why Bulelani Ngcuka (national public prosecutions director) has now decided to prosecute Ronnie. We have asked the ANC to look into the matter," said Wonci.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Makhosini Nkosi said on Tuesday: "He (Blani) was involved in these crimes. "He is being charged and will have to appear in court."

Source: IoL