Murders committed on farms in the Free State and Limpopo

Two suspects were apprehended this weekend following the murders of Hansie Raath and two children of farm workers on the farm Palmietkuil in Vredefort on 19 September.

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Tommie Esterhuyse, FSA Law and Order chairperson, said the brutality of the incident was very worrying especially because of the death of the two children.

“We are worried that, despite renewed efforts by rural communities and the Police (SAPS) to promote safety, it appears that violent crimes on farms are on the increase,” said Esterhuyse in a statement.

Dr Jane Buys, FSA Safety Analyst, lauded the farming community and local SAPS for their diligence.

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“These people worked literally day and night to catch the suspected killers. [It] was an excellent example of co-operation between the local safety network and the SAPS,” she said.

TAU SA’s Northern Region branch, meanwhile, expressed sympathy to Bruno Res, who lost his wife Magrieta during an attack on their farm on Friday, 18 September.

The couple was overpowered by two unknown assailants on their farm Matlopi in Thabazimbi. Magritea Res was killed in the attack. Bruno Res was left locked up with his wife’s body in a storage facility on the farm.

The SAPS discovered the injured man, his deceased wife and a friend of the couple on Saturday after visitors heard their cries for help.

“This incident, coupled with all the other incidents of farm violence and murders, is a clear sign that the South African government and the SAPS do not regard the safety of farmers and their workers as a priority,” said Steven Vermaak, TAU SA Northern Region chairperson, in a statement.