WATCH: Hundreds rally as Dendron farm attack suspects appear in court

The two suspects who have been charged with the attack on an elderly couple on a farm in Dendron, Limpopo, made an appearance at the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, 11 August.

The case saw residents from across the province gathered at four of the entrances into the city and made their way to court in a convoy of vehicles, trucks and tractors.

The suspects were arrested hours after the attack and are facing charges of possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, and possession of stolen property.

On Friday, 7 August the suspects, aged 29 and 38, appeared in the Morebeng Magistrate’s Court on separate charges of house robbery and rape and were denied bail.

Their case was postponed to 14 August.

During their first court appearance, people from as far afield as Hoedspruit and Tzaneen rallied together in front of the court in a peaceful protest against farm attacks and murders in South Africa.

The elderly couple was attacked in their home at around 1am on Wednesday, 5 August.

The woman was reportedly raped and her husband severely assaulted. She was also shot in the leg during the incident.

A 96-year-old woman who was also in the house didn’t sustain any physical injuries. Three suspects were arrested on the R101 on Wednesday during a joint police operation hours after the attack.

According to earlier reports, the members from the Highway Patrol Unit spotted the suspects on the Matala road.

“When they attempted to stop the vehicle, they sped off, resulting in a car chase until they were cornered on the R101 south of Polokwane,” said police spokesperson Brigadier Motlefela Mojapelo.

During the incident, two of the suspects were arrested and a third, who shot at officers, was shot and injured and was taken to hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.

A fourth suspect has since been arrested and will join the other suspects in the Morebeng Magistrate’s Court on Friday on charges of conspiracy to commit, house robbery, murder, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, and possession of stolen property.

Mojapleo added that: “It is believed he was possibly involved in planning the attack.”

This article first appeared on Review Online and was republished with permission.