Cele to visit Brendin Horner’s family to ease tensions

Police Minister Bheki Cele says he intends to visit the family of Brendin Horner and will attempt to ease tensions ahead of the next court appearance of Horner’s alleged killers.

The minister spoke to News24 editor-in-chief Adriaan Basson on Friday morning in a live broadcast and discussed farm attacks, the recent murder of Cape Town detective Lieutenant Colonel Charl Kinnear and the investigation of high-profile politicians for alleged corruption.

Cele has come under fire following a recent spate of farm killings, including the gruesome murder of 21-year-old Horner near Paul Roux in the Free State on 2 October, especially after he condemned violence at the Senekal Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday where Horner’s alleged killers appeared.

Local farmers and protesters allegedly stormed the courthouse and set a police vehicle on fire.

He said tensions would have to be addressed, especially since the EFF called on its members to attend the court appearance to “protect state property”.

“Before [the court appearance], there will have to be a lot of talks with the different leaderships.

‘Extra pain’ unnecessary

“I’m disappointed that there haven’t been statements from the leadership of the farming community, asking for peace to prevail.

“I have spoken to the police. We will have a meeting [on Saturday]. I have also spoken to [FF Plus leader Pieter] Groenewald, I’ll speak to Julius [Malema, leader of the EFF], I’ll speak to all of them.”

He said it was unnecessary to cause “extra pain”.

“At the end of the day, as the state, we will have to protect everybody that will be there. But we will be trying to diffuse the tensions that are high, we will be contributing to that.”

Cele said he intends to visit Horner’s family before the next court appearance.

No words to describe brutality

“I don’t have the words to describe the brutality of killing a 21-year-old like that. I really don’t have the words. A young man who had his whole life ahead of him, who was working for the betterment of South Africans.

“There is a sickness out there.”

Cele also referred to the brutal killing of Tshegofatso Pule. Pule, a 28-year-old beautician, was found stabbed and hanged in a veld in Roodepoort in June. She was eight months pregnant at the time of her murder.

“I’m really glad the police [arrested] these guys (the men accused of murdering Horner), but I am sad that we could not prevent it.”

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