Farm couple killed in Limpopo

JOHANNESBURG – A husband and wife were killed and a farmer tortured in two separate farm attacks in Limpopo, police said on Sunday, 30 March. The bodies of a couple were found on their farm Merebank near Lephalale on Friday, 28 March, Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said in a statement.

Police found the bodies of the 69-year-old man and the 66-year-old woman after their relatives had been unable to contact them. “The couple’s bodies were found in the decomposing state and a post-mortem will be conducted this week to determine the cause of death,” said Mulaudzi.

The motive for the murders was not yet known.

On Sunday morning a farmer was attacked and tortured near Tzaneen. Two men, one armed with a firearm and the other with a knife attacked the 68-year-old farmer and demanded money.

“The two suspects allegedly tortured the farmer with a hot iron rod after he refused to give in to their demands,” said Mulaudzi. They eventually fled with an undisclosed amount of money.

“The two suspects also fitting the description are believed to have robbed two Pakistani shops in Bolobedu earlier in the day.”

The man was treated in hospital and discharged. His 64-year-old wife was with him at the time but she was unharmed.

A 16-year-old youth appeared in the Mossel Bay Magistrate’s Court in the Western Cape on Monday, 31 March in connection with the murder of a farming couple, Limpopo police said. The boy is their grandchild and was at the farm to help him with his alleged drug problem.

The case against the boy was postponed to 7 April, as it had been transferred to the Mokopane Magistrate’s Court in Limpopo, police spokesperson Hangwani Mulaudzi said in a statement.

This was because the bodies of the couple were found on their farm Merebank near Lephalale in Limpopo on Friday. The youth was arrested in Mossel Bay on Monday morning.

“The minor was arrested at his guardian’s house,” said Mulaudzi.

Police found the bodies of the 69-year-old man and 66-year-old woman after their relatives had been unable to contact them.

“The couple’s bodies were found in the decomposing state and a post-mortem will be conducted this week to determine the cause of death,” said Mulaudzi.

-Sapa