South Africa: 4 Afrikaner Activists Arrested for “Protesting While White” Released on Bail as Accused Father and Son Remain in Prison
Four Afrikaner activists on trial for the crime of “inciting public violence” were granted bail today in Groblersdal, South Africa, while the farmer and son originally charged with sic’ing a dog on a violent farm worker were not granted bail (Gateway reported).
YouTuber Willem Petzer (27), Bettereinders co-director Devon Hofmeyr (29), the son of South African country music star Steve Hoymeyr, fellow activist Tewie Wessels (32) and the other Bettereinders co-director Francois van der Merwe were granted bail on Monday.
The court released them on bail of 5 000 Rand each (approx. $260). The four hugged each other in court after the verdict and prayed together in a circle. The bail hear was originally scheduled for Thursday but had to be postponed due to electrical blackouts. A Friday hearing was postponed again.
In the small farming community of Groblersdal, former North Transvaal province, farmer Piet Groenewald (63) and his stepson Stephan Greef (23) are on trial for allegedly sic’ing a dog on a black farm worker Jan. 17. Groenwald and Greef claim the farm worker was drunk and destructive, and attacked them with a panga (machete) and an axe handle. Using dogs against black people is a culturally fraught act in post-Apartheid South Africa.
Groenewald and his stepson were refused bail in Groblersdal Magistrate’s Court on Monday Feb. 12 and remain in prison.
The Bittereinders youth movement rallied in support of Groenwald and Greef Jan. 24 outside the courthouse. Hundreds of ANC and EFF supporters also rallied outside the courthouse demanding prosecution of the white farmers.
However, only white protestors were accused of “inciting public violence” of the crime of protesting. On Monday, Feb. 12, three of the accused reported to the police in an orderly fashion with their travel bags beside them: YouTuber Willem Petzer, Devon Hofmeyr, the son of top country music start Steve Hofmeyr and fellow activist Metheys “Tewie” Wessels. The fourth accused, Dries Olivier, submitted a sick note. Bittereinders co-founder Francois van der Merwe had been arrested Feb. 8.
Local residents complained of “clear double standards” as hundreds of radical left-wing ANC and EFF supporters were not arrested for protesting.
In August, 2023, the leader of the radical Marxist “economic Freedom Fighters” (EFF) Julius Malema sparked protest worldwide for singing the “struggle song” “Kill the Boer” before a crowd of 90.000 in Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium. The rally was followed by several gruesome farm attacks, including one report of the attackers singing “Kill the Boer” (Gateway reported). However, Malema was not held liable for “inciting public violence”.
Country star Steve Hofmeyr visited his son, Devon, in police custody on Tuesday, Feb 13.
“It’s the merciless plain where a father finds himself when his son is unjustly imprisoned. I can’t describe it to you. The hardest thing is not being able to show up. And there are three good reasons why I don’t show up, reasons that make sense to Steve Hofmeyr, but make no sense at all to a father. That’s why I went through in silence to visit my son.”
Hofmeyr expressed his thanks to the leader of the Freedom Front Plus party Dr. Pieter Groenewald, who spoke up in parliament about the events in Groblersdal.
Suid-Afrika is ʼn regstaat en elke landsburger moet gelyk voor die reg staan. Maar met die hofsaak in Groblersdal waar twee persone aangekla word van aanranding, gaan woon die ministers van polisie en justisie self die borgtogaansoek van die beskuldigdes by.
Dit is uit en uit met… pic.twitter.com/1bRKu7ApnI
— VRYHEIDSFRONT PLUS / FREEDOM FRONT PLUS (@VFPlus) February 13, 2024
“South Africa is a state governed by the rule of law and every citizen must be equal before the law. But with the court case in Groblersdal where two persons are accused of assault, the ministers of police, Bheki Cele, and justice, Ronald Lamola, will attend the bail application of the accused themselves. Don’t they have work to do? Why do they go there? They go there because they have a political motive and that motive is to intimidate the presiding officer. They were denied bail, Groenewald said.”
Groenewald noted he had filed two complaints against the EFF leader Julius Malema regarding his direct incitement to kill whites. “Why isn’t he also arrested? Let him also apply for bail. You are working under your leadership to create inequalities. These men went and surrendered themselves. They are entitled to bail.”
“Political parties, such as the ANC and EFF, are attempting to opportunistically exploit and escalate the tense situation that prevails in Groblersdal in the run-up to the 2024 elections in order to extract cheap political mileage from it. There is an undeniable attempt to destabilize the community,” said Llewelynn Hemmens, Northern region head of security for AfriForum civil defense group.
It is problematic that only protesters in support of the accused are being prosecuted, Hemmens said, while ANC and EFF protestors escape prosecution.
“Those who break the law, incite violence and lawlessness and sow chaos in the community must be consistently prosecuted. Double standards are indefensible and only increase the tension further,” Hemmens said.
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