Cape Town - The ANCYL in the Free State has slammed the release of Senekal farmer Andre Pienaar who was arrested for allegedly inciting a mob of supporters to storm the Senekal Magistrate's Court during violent protests in the rural town in 2020.
Pienaar was arrested and held at Senekal Correctional Centre following the violent protest that was fuelled by the murder of farmer Brendin Horner.
The body of the 21-year-old was recovered at DeRots farm outside Paul Roux, and two suspects were taken into custody over his death.
A group of white farmers had protested outside the Senekal Magistrate’s Court where the two men were appearing in 2020. They were caught on video damaging property and tipping over a police vehicle and then setting it alight.
Pienaar who was arrested following the protest was released in January, following negotiations between the State and his legal team, according to Willem Petzer who assisted in paying for his legal fees.
Petzer said they negotiated an agreement with the State that resulted in a 10-month jail sentence, rather than the minimum 5-year sentence.
Petzer, who recently visited Pienaar at his home, said he was happy to have his freedom.
“Upon his release in January 2023, Mr Pienaar promptly secured a position as a farm manager.
“While serving his sentence, Mr Pienaar was once assaulted by a guard, for which the guard is currently facing prosecution.
“Otherwise, he experienced no significant issues while in jail. In fact, he even began farming vegetables to enhance the quality of the prison’s food,” he said.
“While chatting with him, his experience in prison was that we sit with a country full of criminals who are running free. Andre had to sit in prison for 10 months. It is our duty now to fight every day that the true criminals are sitting where they belong, so that justice will prevail,” Petzer said.
Sizophila Mkhize of the ANCYL in the Free State said Pienaar’s release was a “clear indication of a society that is far from dealing with racism and white supremacy”.
“A young white boy was killed, farmers gathered to protest against the killing of farmers, which was their democratic right. They messed up their protest by destroying state resources.
Black First Land First (BLF) leader Andile Mngxitama said: “The criminal justice system in South Africa treats white farmers with kid gloves. This encourages the racist culture of violence against blacks. The acts of those Senekal farmers attacking the police and malicious damage to the court is tantamount to treason.
“We urge the NPA to review the matter and appropriate charges be given so that justice can be served. White farmers are a law unto themselves it must be stopped.”
Department of Correctional Services (DCS) spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo confirmed Pienaar’s release.
“He was indeed placed out on January 24, 2023. His placement was processed in terms of Section 276(1)(i) of the Criminal Procedure Act,” he said.
Cape Times