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A convicted terrorist and leader of a right-wing group called the National Christian Resistance Movement (NCRM) has been sentenced to life terms plus 21 years.
Sixty-three-year-old Harry Johannes Knoesen was found guilty of all charges against him in June this year.
Knoesen contravened the POCDATARA Act - the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorism and Related Matters, incitement to carry out a terrorist attack in South Africa, recruiting people to carry out terror attacks and the unlawful possession of a firearm.
Although Knoesen used to serve in the army, he gave himself the rank of General and referred to himself as the pastor of his Resistance movement.
A spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority in Mpumalanga Monica Nyuswa says Knoesen sought to justify his actions through his religion claiming that he was ordained by God to reclaim South Africa for white people.
She says Knoesen's planned atrocities included him exploring the possibility of using a biological weapon to kill black people and to attack government institutions, more specifically police and military institutions.
He also targeted townships and had discussions with other groups to arrange training in urban warfare.
Nyuswa says police got wind of Knoesen's plans and he was arrested in November 2019.
Police confiscated electronic devices, maps and documents with details of his plans.
Nyuswa says two accomplices, 57-year-old Donald Abrahams and 52-year-old Errol Abrahams were found guilty in 2020 and were sentenced to an effective eight years in prison.
