The Media and Eugene Terre Blanche
When I heard of Eugene Terre Blanche’s murder on Sunday morning on Capetalk, my first reaction was: “Oh no! The media will be milking this story for all it’s worth!”.
Before you could even say the word ‘boer’, Julius Malema was blamed for inciting people to kill the farmer, presumably meaning Terre’blanche.
What a load of rubbish.
By even linking Malema to Terre’blanche’s murder is again giving that man a lot more power than he has and more publicity than he deserves.
And lo and behold it’s been almost ridiculous the way especially e-tv (I don’t watch SABC News) have nearly blanketed their news coverage with the murder story, making it into a politically motivated crime.
All sorts of talking heads have been weighing in on their opinion. The impact on the Soccer World Cup was dissected in all it’s glory and images of Eugene Terre’blanche prancing around on a horse was broadcast for all to see.
Never mind the fact that Terre’blance was imprisoned for nearly three years for nearly beating one his farm workers to death. To be fair, e-tv news interviewed the man (who seems brain damaged) and his family.
However, Terre’blance was known to have treated his workers badly. And news from the farm was that Terre’blanche wouldn’t pay his workers so they could go home over the Easter Weekend.
Next thing you know, people dressed in khaki were interviewed all over the show, vowing to avenge his death. Who did they want to take their revenge on?
The two men who killed their ‘leader’?
Or all workers who didn’t get paid over the Easter Weekend?
The fact that the murder happened on a slow news weekend probably gave it a lot more news coverage than it merited.
I wish the news coverage focused on the true nature of the crime i.e. a farmer mistreating workers, inadequately implemented labour laws for farm workers, lawless youth, the terrible crime situation in our country, etc. and not made it into a political situation.
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6 Responses to “The Media and Eugene Terre Blanche”
By claudine on Apr 7, 2010 | Reply
My inlaws went on a trip around parts of South Africa a few years ago by road. Them and 2 other couples. One of the couples wanted to drive by his house in Ventersdorp, not expecting much. Well, they each now have a photograph (my inlaws didn’t pose with him) of the one couple posing with him at his gate. My fil, on hearing the news broadcast, said what, was he still alive?
I think for the average South African, apart from those who knew him or lived near him, he was pretty much out of the public eye, as has been the case with the AWB.
All I remember of him is watching the news footage of him once falling off his horse. Other than that, he and his organisation weren’t part of our lives. Never have been.
For the average Afrikaner who agrees with the policies of the AWB, his death would be akin to Nelson Mandela dying in a similar manner.
On the song and Malema, people need to have something to blame for a senseless crime. It helps them cope. And let’s face it, any crime of this manner is senseless. There are always ways of resolving issues.
There is nothing newsworthy about farm labourer issues unfortunately. It’s not a controversial subject, the death of a white supremecist however is much more newsworthy. Especially because of the manner of his death. I bet if he had died of natural causes the news would have been a tiny little blip.
The one thing it does highlight though, is the terrible crime rate we live with. If anything, I hope that focus is moved from his death and onto a government who will finally do something about the crime rate.
By Gideon on Apr 7, 2010 | Reply
STOP THE HATE LOVE ONE ANOTHER WE ARE ALL GOD’S CHILDREN.STARS ACTING LIKE CHILDREN OF GOD, NO REVANGE, NO HATE SPEACH…… MR malema stop singing this song of yours we need to build a nation, not kill it GOD BLESS TO ALL
By Abigail Abrahams on Apr 8, 2010 | Reply
Your last paragraph says it all Claudine. The crime rate needs to be addressed and focussing on other issues means we’re not talking about the awful manner Terreblanche died. I would not wish that on my worst enemy.
I wonder what makes someone so angry that they could hit another human being, much less bludgeon him to death. Regardless of who is.
The racial issue and the issue of farm workers need to be addressed as well. But now the media have made people choose sides. Those in Ventersdorp anyway.
Don’t even talk about that situation on e-tv news last night when the AWB studio guest got into it with two presenters. It all reflected so badly on everyone concerned. I actually squirmed while watching the fall out.
By Anonymous on Apr 8, 2010 | Reply
Luckily I missed that one Abigail. I’ve been steering clear of the media since Sunday. After watching it over and over I just couldn’t handle it anymore, like our media suddenly has the same fascination with something like this that CNN loves.
All it does at the end of the day is pit one person against another. Until we stop focusing on race as the issue and start focusing on how to change the bad, we’ll always be in the gutter.
By Abigail Abrahams on Apr 11, 2010 | Reply
I’ve too had a media black out this last week. I heard snippets of info on the news and had short conversations at work about it, but generally not been reading anything related to Malema or Terre’blance.
I don’t know the answers though.
Instead of saying there isn’t racial tension, we should be dealing with it or before we know it someone like Julius Malema will grow more and more powerful if uneducated poor people start thinking he is speaking for them…And there are many more of those than of us we live in relative luxury.
By Claudine on Apr 12, 2010 | Reply
That’s been a big problem for me with the way the ANC has been sweeping things under the mat. Ja sure the NP did it back in the day too but we are way past those ideals to want to hide what’s happening right now. We, as a country, cannot afford to drop the ball on this.