A man who planned to overthrow the government found guilty of treason
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Photo: NPA
Mpumalanga NPA Spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said that Harry Johannes Knoesen had been planning from December 2018 to November 2019 to overthrow the current government through a coup.
It is said that, during the above mentioned period, Knoesen had developed a deep-rooted hatred, for the non-profit racial democratic dispensation established under the auspices of the Constitution, and implemented by the South African government and in particular for South African persons residing in the Republic, be they South African Citizens or members of èmigrè communities. He sought to justify his beliefs on religious grounds, claiming that God had ordained that he should re-claim South Africa for white people.
He planned to attack government institutions and more specifically police and military institutions and furthermore kill all the natives in the country.
“He also identified townships and informal settlements occupied by African persons as targets for attack. To further these objectives, he took over the National Christian Resistance Movement (NCRM), also known as the Crusaders (NCRM) and appointed himself as Commander-in-Chief, giving himself the rank of General. He explored the possibility of using a biological weapon, to infect and kill members of the African population. He also had discussions regarding arranging training in urban warfare.”
“He appealed to persons with previous military experience to join and carry out attacks. He also appealed to current members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to support his activities” said Nyuswa.
He became successful in recruiting some people with similar interests to a point where several meetings were held to plan the attack on various police stations and military bases, townships and informal settlements.
“Over the weekend of 16-17 November 2019, the convict and a small group of his members met at the Sterkfontein Dam, at Harrismith in the Free State. The purpose of the meeting was to plan the carrying out of imminent attacks in the parts of the country where the cells operated. It was during this meeting that the accused made a post of incitement, to carry out a terrorist attack, calling for persons to take their firearms and to start indiscriminately shooting African people in the streets.”
His plan ended on 28 November 2019 when the accused was arrested at his residence in Middelburg, where the weapon and ammunition were seized. Documentation relevant to the planning of the attacks, and information relating to the members of the organization and their cells were also found. Digital devices were also seized.
Knoesen together with other accused were found guilty of high treason, incitement to carry out terrorist attacks in South Africa, soliciting support and or recruiting persons to carry out terrorist attacks in South Africa, unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition.
