Farmer (84) shot, injured days after Black Monday march
"Mr Potgieter says he was able to keep very calm and asked the men in Zulu 'what nonsense is this?'.
An elderly farmer narrowly escaped death when he was shot at last night when he was confronted by two men on his farm, The Aloes, on the Dundee/Helpmekaar road.
Herman de Wet chairman of the Dundee Farmers Union told the Courier that Waffie Potgieter (84) and his wife returned home to their farm at about 5pm after buying groceries in town. When they arrived, they heard their dog barking. The dog is usually kept kenneled in the day and let out at night.
While the barking dog puzzled them, one of their workers was still on the farm and he and Mr Potgieter fed the bulls and sheep after which Mr Potgieter took his worker home.
More on farm attacks in the area:
Shop owner, father-in-law shot dead in farm attack
Seven arrested after police respond after attempted farm attacks
Upon his return. he was on his way to lock his shed when two men emerged from the shed and pointed a .22 rifle at him, complete with telescopic sight. “Mr Potgieter says he was able to keep very calm and asked the men in Zulu ‘what nonsense is this?’. He then pushed the firearm out of the way and shouted at his wife to press the alarm.”
Mr Potgieter then had the presence of mind to simply walk away back to the house. He then saw one of the men load the rifle and he began to move faster towards the house. A shot rang out that went through Mr Potgieter’s shirt sleeve. He was not injured. By then the alarm was wailing and the men fled on foot.
The police were called and nearby farmers alerted. Mr de Wet said the reaction of the police was very good. “There was a search for the men but as of yet no arrests have been made. I spoke to Mr Potgieter this morning and he was quite happy to go about his normally duties on the farm.”
Mr de Wet said South Africa is in a grip of a vicious circle of crime with an average of 53 killings a day. “I am going to attend a meeting in Pretoria next week along with representatives of other organisations to lobby for a day of prayer to end all crime in our country – not only against farmers but against all South Africans.”
