Year in Review: Top ten most read stories for 2017
Here is a brief glimpse at the top ten most read stories in the Vryheid Herald in 2017. If you missed it, you can still read the full stories by following the links below each summary.
Here is a brief glimpse at the top ten most read stories in the Vryheid Herald in 2017. If you missed it, you can still read the full stories by following the links below each summary.
10. Teen exposes human-trafficking syndicate in Vryheid
Published online on June 14
Published online on June 14
A teenage victim of human trafficking claimed that she managed to escape the clutches of her captors, and alerted police to the chilling possibility of a syndicate operating in the area around Vryheid.
Police were unable to locate the house in which the teen was being kept, and were therefore unable to free the other women being held captive, possibly to be sold into forced labour or sexual exploitation.
The 18-year-old woman, who managed to get away, told police she had been abducted while walking alone near Bhekuzulu Primary School, where she was grabbed and dragged into a silver Ford Bantam by three unknown men.
The teen was later found to have made up the entire story and was charged with perjury.
9. BREAKING NEWS: Another Vryheid farmer slain – two apprehended in #VryheidFarmAttack
Published online on November 5
TWO suspects were taken into custody, following a brutal farm attack in the Zaailaagte area near Vryheid.
Danie Swanepoel was ruthlessly and mercilessly attacked on his farm and allegedly tortured by the perpetrators in a manner that can only be described as barbaric. As well as multiple cuts and stab wounds, it is believed that one of the implements utilised in the torture was an electric device that could physically debilitate a fully grown bull. Mr Swanepoel died a cruel and unnecessary death at the hands of his attackers in his own home, much like a rising number of farmers across the nation.
Barely a week after true South Africans of all races, with their hearts set on building a better future for our country, stood united in peaceful protest against the scourge of farm attacks and senseless killings across the country, Danie Swanepoel was mercilessly tortured and his life cut short by those who seek to destroy what they stood for.
8. #VryheidFarmAttack – Farm attackers strike near Gluckstadt
Published online on April 24
Published online on April 24
FARMERS and police responded swiftly to the scene of yet another farm attack in the early hours of the morning, barely a week after the Vryheid Herald’s front page raised the question, are you “Ready for a farm attack?”
At least five armed attackers, wearing balaclavas, converged on the farm of the late Dave Brooks at approximately 3am on that Monday morning. Ross Geraghty, Brooks’ nephew, was asleep in the main house and the attackers proceeded to torture him, tying him up and burning him with an iron and covering his head with a plastic bag while they ransacked the house.
According to Andrew Brooks, Dave’s son, he became aware of the intruders approximately 45 minutes later when they passed the window of his flat as they attempted to break into the vehicles nearby.
Brooks shone a torch out of the window to see what was happening when the suspects opened fire on him. He returned fire and the suspects fled into the bushes.
7. Utter devastation as Scheepersnek fire ravages farm
Published online on August 22
Published online on August 22
FIRES ravaged through farms in the Scheepersnek and Louwsburg areas that Tuesday as the August winds plundered on violently.
Reports stated that the Scheepersnek flame started off at a Blood River farm, spreading its devastation out to surrounding homesteads.
Working on Fire, Neighbourhood Watch and many other community members, including neighbouring farmers, set out to the area to assist but to no avail as the flames had already gone quite far and were still spreading due to the undying wind which was said to have reached 58km per hour.
6. Farm attack averted
Published online on April 13
Published online on April 13
PAULPIETERSBURG farmer, Arno Engelbrecht, was nearly the victim of a farm attack that Thursday.
Asked to describe his experience, Mr Engelbrecht said, “It was 10.15am, I was making myself breakfast when I heard my gardener screaming like crazy.
The gardener, who was busy tending to plants just outside the house, looked up to see why the dog was growling persistently. It was then that she spotted five men in balaclavas making their way toward the house.
Calling at the top of her lungs, “Abantu!” she then began running toward the back of the house.
5. Tragic collision claims seven lives
Published online on February 25
A tragic accident near the Scheepersnek area claimed seven lives that morning when two motor vehicles and a truck collided.
Five people are said to have already been removed out of the cars and were already deceased when paramedics arrived.
The sixth died while medics were trying to resuscitate them and the last person is said to have died on the way to hospital.
KwaZulu Private Ambulance’s Frikkie Bekker described the scene as total carnage.
4. VIDEO: Praying for Lara and Amy
Published online on October 12
Published online on October 12
That morning was an emotional one for the hockey girls’ first teams from Pioneer and Vryheid High Schools.
United by their love for the sport, the hockey girls from Vryheid High reached out in sympathy and prayer to the hockey girls from Pioneer, following the tragedy that has befallen the captain of the Pioneer team, Lara Dedekind.
On September 28, Lara, also the deputy head girl of Pioneer High School, wafted into her fairytale themed matric farewell looking like a princess.
The next week, her life took a tragic turn, when Lara and her younger sister Amy were involved in a tragic collision in the Louwsberg area.
3. #BlackMonday farm killing in Gluckstadt, community exacts its justice
Published online on October 30
The man who robbed and killed Bokkie Potgieter on a farm in Gluckstad just outside Vryheid has died after being assaulted by members of the community.
Today, while the nation came together to protest against farm murders, and South Africans, dressed in black, took to social media to show their support, Mr Potgieter was brutally attacked.
Mr Potgieter, believed to be in his 70’s, was a private man who lived alone. At 10am that morning, a man entered Mr Potgieter’s home and attempted to steal his bakkie.
A struggle ensued and the robber hacked Mr Potgieter on the face and head with a panga.
2. Dedekind family reveals Lara’s final gift of love
Published online on October 16
Published online on October 16
October 14 greeted the Dedekind family with a heartbreaking update on Lara’s condition and they shared the news via social media, “After further tests by two independent doctors, they have declared Lara brain dead. Medically speaking they say nothing can be done…”
Even in the face of such tragedy, Lara and Amy’s parents remained steadfast in their faith and continued to hope for a miracle for their eldest daughter, a bright young woman with her whole life still ahead of her. However, Lara’s miracle came in a different form when the family was faced with a difficult decision…
“Knowing our beautiful daughter, you will agree that Lara is a giver, a child of God, an ‘all or nothing’ girl. We are giving praise to her life by letting her be a miracle in somebody else’s life. There are people out there praying for a miracle, an organ, to prolong or save their life or the life of a loved one and, if Lara would be that one who would be needing an organ to prolong her life, we would be the ones praying for that miracle…”
“We said goodbye with a brokenness, so hard to explain, but Lara will be saving at least five lives. When time is right we will tell Amy about her amazing sister and her final gift of love.”
1. THE FULL SCOOP: Vryheid attorney back from the grave, Adriaan Venter arrested for faking his death
Published online on December 16
Published online on December 16
Jan Adriaan Venter is said to have confided in a colleague that the easiest way to get out of the country, if you had committed fraud, was to fake your own death.
Nearly five months after he was declared dead, Adriaan had been found to have heeded his own advice.
Adriaan and his loyal fiancé, Rozanne Vosloo, were arrested while allegedly trying to escape the country after Adriaan had faked his own death. They are believed to have been apprehended by detectives from Point police station and investigators from Liberty Group Durban. The couple were taken to the Durban court and police investigations are ongoing.
