Woman badly assaulted in Bronkhorstspruit plot attack, hunt for 8 suspects under way

Police spokesperson Constable Munyadziwa Ramovha said that around 18:00 on Thursday (October 21), eight suspects gained entry to a plot in Zusterstroom.

She said a resident on the plot was approached by an unknown man with a firearm.

“He was taken into the house by the suspect with the words ‘shut the f*** up, I will shoot you’.”

Ramovha said the other suspects joined and forced the man into the house where his fiancee was.

“She tried to lock the safety gate leading to the bedroom but she was over powered by three suspects.

“The woman was badly assaulted by the suspects in her face and she sustained an injury to her right eye, a 2cm cut.

“They were tied up with masking tape, belts and electrical cables and pillow cases were pulled over their faces. Ramovha said the suspects then proceeded to “aggressively’ look for a safe”.

The couple was robbed of a gas pistol, pellet gun, US$1 000, jewellery, a Macintosh laptop, engagement ring and a Toyota LDV.

“The property amounted to R500 000.” She said the suspect fled the scene, however, the car was found abandoned on the R25 road.

“No arrests have been made yet.”

Ramovha said anyone with information may contact Bronkhorstspruit police on 013 932 9222.

This follows AfriForum noting a drop in the number of farm attacks recorded in the 2020/2021 financial year, as there had been an increase in the number of farm murders.

The organisation’s head of policy and action Ernst Roets said 59 people were murdered on farms in South Africa, compared to 41 in the previous year.

“Although there was a decline in the number of farm attacks in the 2020/2021 financial year compared to the previous financial year, there was an increase in farm murders.”

Roets said this was concerning due to the excessive violence used in the execution of the crimes.

“In 22% of these attacks, victims were brutally tortured by burning them with irons, by battering or kicking them to death or by repeatedly stabbing them with a sharp object,” he said.

He said 64% of the victims in the attacks were over the age of 50 and that items which were usually stolen in the attacks were firearms, vehicles and electronic appliances.

However, Roets also noted that nothing was stolen in at least six farm attacks.

“The fact that farm murders and the brutality of the attacks have increased despite a decrease in the number of attacks is extremely worrying,” he said.

Releasing the fourth quarter crime statistics this week, police minister Bheki Cele said 11 people were killed in 10 attacks which occurred on farms and small-holdings in the first three months of the year.

The statistics were from 1 January to 31 March.

“Four of those murdered were farm dwellers, four were farmers or farm owners and two of the victims were farm employees while one was a night guard at a farm workshop,” Cele said.