A Limpopo farmer accused of assaulting a police officer is expected to apply for bail in the Groblersdal Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
25-year-old Francois van der Merwe is seeking bail after being accused of assaulting a police officer during a protest by white farmers outside the court last week.
The protest involved a group of farmers carrying the old Transvaal flag, advocating the release on bail of two directors of a security company that guards farms, while another group wearing T-shirts of different political parties called for the opposite outcome.
The alleged assault, in which van der Merwe was reportedly involved, took place amid skirmishes between protesting farmers and law enforcement.
Police were said to be trying to control the crowd when a physical altercation broke out between van der Merwe and a police officer. The accused has been charged with assault.
Farmers accused of setting dogs on farm security officer apply for bail
Police minister, Bheki Cele & that of Justice, Ronald Lamula have walked from the Sekhukhune Municipality to the Groblersdal Magistrate’s Court where Piet Groenewald and Stephen Greef are applying for bail. The pair allegedly assaulted and set a dog on a security guard #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/4DdZZv4XOu
— Pimani Baloyi (@PimaniBaloyi) January 31, 2024
[HAPPENING NOW] in #Groblersdal the Ministers of @SAPoliceService and Justice Minister @RonaldLamola are heading to court, where the attempted murder case of Pieter Groenewalt and Stephan Hendrick Greef accused of unleashing a dog on an employee will be heard this morning. pic.twitter.com/Tx7LYyOdGw
— Lirandzu Themba (@LirandzuThemba) January 31, 2024
