MOKOPANE – The police have offered a R50 000 reward for information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of the suspects and the Van Zyl family added another R50 000 to make the total reward offered R100 000.
This follows the murder of Piet and Tilla van Zyl last Saturday evening, which came as a big shock to the community of Mokopane.
The couple were murdered on their farm, Kalkpoort, in the Immerpan district near Roedtan.
Read more: Zebediela couple found murdered on their farm
Bosveld had an interview with Steven Vermaak, Director of the Heritage Protection Group (HPG), who conducts the investigation with the police.
“Firstly I want to make it clear that the Van Zyl’s were not tortured. The suspects seemingly gained access to the house through the glass door on the balcony. Piet was still awake in the bed while watching television. The suspects shot Piet three times in the legs and one fatal shot in the chest.
“Tilla was shot once in the groin and it is alleged the suspects threw her to the ground and she hit her head hard as her cause of death was determined to be due to bleeding on the brain,” Vermaak said.
The suspects emptied the safe and stole an unknown number of firearms. According to Vermaak, it is alleged the five suspects disabled the alarm very fast and got access to the premises before Piet could react.
“The guard at the store noticed the back door was open the following morning and that there was no movement in the house. He raised the alarm and one of the farmworkers called the Van Zyl’s son, Jurgens.”
Vermaak said Piet’s cell phone and 9mm pistol were found in the field during when police tracked the suspects on Sunday.
“We are pursuing positive clues and the investigation is ongoing.”
Vermaak said the attack on the Van Zyl’s hit the community very hard.
The Van Zyl family has been part of the community since the 1800’s.
Anyone with information can contact Sakkie Louwrens at 071 798 7954, HPG investigating officer, Cornelius Tumo at 083 598 9654 or WO Patrick Pila at 082 063 8615.
According to Vermaak, HPG had a meeting with the Acting Provincial Commissioner Maj Genl Jan Scheepers on Tuesday to discuss the influx of farm attacks to establish and implement a strategy to combat these crimes.
The final meeting is set to take place in September after which the public will receive a notice from the police of when a meeting will be held with them.
Piet and Tilla van Zyl’s memorial service will be at 11:00 on Friday, 25 August at the N.G. Hulp en Hoop Gemeenskapskerk in HF Verwoerd Road.
redaksie.bosvelder@nmgroup.co.za
