UPDATE: Farmer not killed in farm attack

The farmer found dead on his smallholding on Friday afternoon, was not killed in a farm attack as initially believed by authorities.

Provincial police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubele confirmed on Monday afternoon, that the farmer was not a victim of a “farm attack”.

An inquest docket was opened into the incident that happened in the Kameeldrift area on Friday afternoon.

“A post mortem revealed the bullet found to the head matched the victim’s own firearm,” Makubele said.

The man, believed to be in his 60s, was found dead close to the fence in the front of his small holding at around 14:00.

Only after the police’s forensic team arrived on the scene a few hours later to remove the body, was the victim’s firearm discovered under his body.

It was previously reported a farmer was shot in the head in Rinkhalsweg. His neighbours told the local CPF, security companies and the police that suspects approached the victim and shot him.

“The man succumbed to his wounds and was declared dead on the scene.”

READ MORE: NEWSFLASH: Man shot, left for dead in north farm attack

At that stage, the police said the circumstances surrounding the attack were still being investigated.

Makhubele said the motive for the shooting was not immediately clear, adding that a robbery could not be ruled out yet.

The victim was allegedly busy repairing his electric fence when he was approached by two suspects.

Hillel Coetzer, AfriForum’s security chief for the northern district initially said the killing was the third in the area on the day.

“The first happened around 09:50, and involved a fist fight between farm workers and an attacker,” he said.

“The workers were tied up and the suspects fled. One attacker was injured.”

Coetzer said a second attack happened on a neighbouring farm where workers were also tied up.

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