East London farmer shoots two suspects before dying

A young farmer from East London was the latest statistic in a crime trend that shows no signs of abating. 

The 34-year-old Waterfall farm owner died due to stab wounds to his upper body on Saturday. 

Although police did not name the victim, Agri Eastern Cape rural safety chairperson Alfonso van Niekerk said in a statement on Sunday the farmer’s name was Darryl Richter.

Eastern Cape police said the farmer was doing routine patrols when he called in a suspicious-looking vehicle. 

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Neighbouring farmers who the victim had called for backup found him seriously injured, but still alive.

Before he died, Richter gave those at the scene information about the incident. He later succumbed to his injuries at the scene. 

According to police, the victim was attacked with knives before retaliating with his firearm. He shot two of the three suspects, who were found in an open field not far from where the victim died. 

According to van Niekerk, two suspects died at the scene, but a third attacker escaped.

Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana said the motive for the incident was not yet known, but that a murder case and two inquest dockets had been registered for investigation. 

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No arrests have been made, but van Niekerk said a “suspicious vehicle” with dogs loaded in the back was found near the scene. 

The DA said in a statement on Sunday that Richter had survived a previous farm attack in Butterworth.

Van Niekerk said Richter’s attack came just 29 day after a 79-year-old farmer, John Viedge, was attacked and murdered in nearby Nqanarhu. 

“Once again Agri Eastern Cape is calling on the South African Police Service to implement its rural safety strategy and to increase its efforts to prevent these senseless attacks from occurring,” van Niekerk said in the statement. 

Richter leaves behind his wife and two daughters. 

Compiled by Nica Richards