Trial for murder of black farmer from Brits delayed

The family of a Brits farmer allegedly murdered by a local businessperson and his son will only know the outcome of the criminal trial next year.

Yesterday Judge Moses Mavundla postponed the trial of North West building contractor Schalk Myburgh and his son Schalk Jnr to February.

They have pleaded not guilty to murdering Muraga Mavula in December 2015 by severely assaulting him and driving a bakkie over him.

Mavula and his sons were looking for a lost goat on the day the Myburghs accused them of stock theft.

Mavula’s wife earlier testified that her daughter had run into her room and said her father had phoned and said whites were killing him. She rushed to the scene to find him dead.

The Myburghs admitted they had an altercation with Mavula, but said they had acted in self-defence after he had attacked them when they confronted him about the men who were loading dead animals onto a bakkie.

An autopsy found Mavula had 48 rib fractures, ruptured liver and lungs, massive bleeding on the head and had died of blunt force injuries.

Specialist forensic pathologist Gert Saayman had testified that the injuries indicated a car accident involving a pedestrian and not assault.

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