Angry farm owners burn police van in Free State

Court proceedings at the Senekal Magistrate’s Court in the Free State were disrupted by angry farmers today, who overturned and burned a police vehicle. The farmers were baying for the blood of two suspects who appeared in court in connection with the murder of farm manager Brandon Horner.

Farmers have called for the return of the death penalty. Twenty one year old Roux was allegedly murdered in Paul Roux last Friday. Two suspects charged with his murder made a brief appearance in the Senekal Magistrate’s Court.

Horner was found with a rope around his neck, and tied to a pole on the farm. Farmer Piet van der Merwe has called for the return of a death penalty.

“I think the death penalty must be introduced, we can’t go on like this. [President Cyril] Ramaphosa is just as guilty for all these farm murders, blood is on his hands and [Minister Bheki] Cele must fall, he is the biggest criminal. Law and order must be restored immediately. We must get protection.”

Another farmer, Hardi Odendaal says they are disturbed by the latest killing.

“Everybody is really feeling bad about the whole thing and it must stop. It’s the only thing, it must stop now. Not over a month but now, today, and stop all over the country the murdering of farmers.”

AfriForum deputy Chief Executive Officer Ernst Roets says the anger from the farming community is justified.

“People are very angry but people are also very sad. People have expressed their sympathy with the family. Having said that, I think there are two important messages that came out today. The one is, people regard what happened to Brandon Horner as something that happened to them as well. They regard this as a bigger body and if you mutilate the hand then you mutilate the body. If you cut the ear, you cut the body and if you amputate the foot then the body. And I think that’s how our people feel, they take it personally, they see it as an attack on the community. They want to express their condolences.”

The case has been postponed to next week Friday to allow the 32-year old Sekwetje Mahlamba and his co-accused 44-year old Sekola Matlaletsa to apply for bail.