Issued by: Ministry for Safety and Security
JANUARY 06, 1997, PRETORIA
Yesterday, I visited the three scenes of bomb attacks namely the Mosque, a General Dealer shop and the Marikana Post Office. I was accompanied by the Acting National Commissioner, Commissioner Lavisa and the Head of internal Security, Commissioner Leonard Radu.
The Investigating Team briefed me about their preliminary impressions. I conveyed to them the President and my appreciation to their swift reaction which resulted in two suspects appearing in court yesterday.
The fact that this incident happened two and half years into the new political dispensation, shows that the perpetrators can only be racial bigots who have a propensity for the old order.
What is even more disconcerting is their absurdity which knows no bounds. How else, can one explain the fact that a place of worship is considered (by them) as a legitimate target of attack?
The government will not be stampeded into conceding to anti-democratic and evil demands such as those propagated by a group which calls itself the Boere Aanvals Troepe (BAT). If anything, we shall prove to the that the democratic dispensation has both the determination and the capacity to defend itself.
The government is determined to defend the great majority of our people who believe in the new dispensation and who want to make this, a peaceful country to live in.
I instructed the investigating Team to ensure that we successfully oppose the bail application which the two suspects are likely to lodge. The Department of Safety and Security will argue for a sentence strong enough to discourage anybody from thinking that democracy can be held to ransom.
PS. This statement would not have issued in the written form had the SABC TV and Radio 702 used the interviews they conducted with myself when I was in Rustenburg yesterday.
Enquiries: Maxwell Mulaudzi - 082 373 2005