Limpopo farmer attacked second time in two months
Provincial DA leader says the victim identified the attackers in both incidents as the same and called on those living in rural areas to be vigilant
LIMPOPO – DA Leader, Jacques Smalle has called on the provincial government to pay serious attention to farm attacks following the recent attack on a 48-year-old farmer and his employee on Wednesday, 22 July.
The attack happened on Bellevue farm in the Tinmyne area within the Mogalakwena municipality.
The farmer, which Smalle indentified as Bertus Kotze, was accosted by the attackers at a cattle kraal on the farm. Smalle says he was tied up and suffered serious injuries during the incident.
“This is the second attack on Kotze in two months. The attackers were identified as the same in both attacks.”
https://www.citizen.co.za/review-online/432354/limpopo-farmer-wife-and-daughter-attacked/
Smalle says this attack leads the party to believe that police in the remote areas of Mokgalakwena municipality are not adequately resourced to effectively deal with farm attacks, hence the re-occurrence. “It is time for the provincial government to pay serious attention to farm attacks in our province. Farmers and farm workers alike need to feel safe in their homes.”
Police Spokesperson, Brig Motlafela Mojapelo confirmed the attack on the two men.
In a statement he said that the farmer was accosted by four unknown men at around 16:00. “They held him at gunpoint, tied him up and demanded money before they stole his cellphone and a 9mm pistol with 13 rounds of ammunition. A second victim, a 21-year-old man farm worker was also tied up and robbed of his cellphone.”
Three of the armed robbers then proceeded towards the house and left the men on the ground under the guards of the fourth robber. After failing to gain entry into the house the men returned and loaded the victims inside a vehicle which belongs to the farmer and drove off.
Mojapelo explained that along the way the men dropped off the victims, who managed to untie themselves and alert the police.
On arrival at the scene, the police immediately commenced with the investigations and the stolen vehicle was later found abandoned a few meters within the farm area.
A manhunt has been launched for the robbers and the police appeals to anyone with information that can lead to their arrest, to contact Sgt Moshe Mashaba at 073 703 0488.
