Pampoenkraal farm living up to its ‘killing fields’ moniker

Pampoenkraal Farm outside Piet Retief in Mpumalanga has ostensibly lived up to its local reputation as the “killing fields” after its farmers and a worker appeared in court on Monday for another double murder.

Also Read: Coka brothers murder suspects arrested for another double farm murder

The Coka brothers’ murder- accused Pampoenkraal Farm bosses – Cornelius Greyling, 26, Werner Potgieter, 47, and farm security guard Patrick Yende – are among the  suspects charged for allegedly beating cousins Musa Nene, 34 and Sifiso Thwala 39 to death, leaving the latter’s brother, Sthembiso (32) barely alive.

On the evening of 9 August last year, the cousins were allegedly attacked by a group of farmers and workers who accused them of stealing sheep after their vehicle broke down near Pampoenkraal Farm.

Also Read: NPA mum over probe into double farm murders

The five accused appearing in the Piet Retief Magistrates court during their bail hearing in the case where the Coka brothers were shot and killed, 19 April 2021, Mkhondo, Mpumalanga. Picture: Jacques Nelles

However, the case had gone cold despite there being a key witness, until it was thrust in the spotlight by the murders of Pampoenkraal Farm dwellers Mgcini, 36, and Zenzele, 39, Coka-eight months later.

A total of seven suspects, all from Pampoenkraal Farm, were arrested in an early Friday morning raid on the farm on two charges of murder, one of attempted murder, kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice.

Also Read: Coka brothers murder suspects arrested for another double farm murder

At the time of their arrest, Greyling, Potgieter and Yende were out on R10 000 bail each for the murder of the Coka brothers in Pampoenkraal Farm.

Other suspects in the Coka murder case are Daniel Malan, 38, Othard Clingberg, 58, and Michael Sternberg, 31, and Andries Pienaar, 32

The Coka brothers were gunned down on 9 April following a violent confrontation during which other white farmers were summoned to assist as Pampoenkraal Farm was besieged by a group of farm dwellers armed with sticks and steel pipes demanding jobs.

Farm dwellers living on Greyling’s Pampoenkraal farm in Mkhondo, Mpumalanga, 18 April 2021. Picture: Jacques Nelles

An empty kraal. 14 cattle were poisoned in Mkhondo on Greyling’s Pampoenkraal farm at the homestead of the farm dwellers, Mpumalanga, 18 April 2021. Picture: Jacques Nelles

Nomgcibelo Vilakazi, the mother of the Coka brothers, said she had mentioned before that her sons were not the first people to be killed on the farm.

“We have been saying all along that people are dying in Pampoenkraal but no one has ever taken us seriously. People are killed, crippled, and some have gone blind due to severe beatings on this farm. These farmers, they would even brag that nothing will happen to them,” she said.

It also emerged during the bail application in the Coka brothers’ murder case that one of the accused, Malan, was a suspect in a case of malicious damage to property in KwaZulu-Natal.

Last year Malan and other farmers allegedly went on a cross-province high speed chase from Mpumalanga into KwaZulu-Natal in hot pursuit of a man they suspect to be a stock thief.

Their target abandoned the vehicle and ran on foot into other farms but his pursuers allegedly shot out his abandoned vehicle in a rage.

According to the SA Farm Workers and Labour Tenants Association, the case, opened at Ingogo police station in Newcastle, was withdrawn “though mediation” on 15 April, moments after Malan was arrested for the murder of Coka brothers.

“This can only mean the complainant was paid to withdraw the case so that it does not become a hurdle in the bail application. This is how many cases disappear. Pay your way out,” the association’s leader, Bongani Hlatshawayo said.

Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi said Greyling, Potgieter, Yende and co-accused-Elliot Dlamini,60, Moses Dlamini,68, Mzwakhe Dlamini, 49 (relation not established) and Skhumbuzo Zikalala,25 were remanded in custody and their bail application set for Thursday and Friday. siphom@citizen.co.za