THE two men who murdered Ixopo farmer Eugene van der Merwe in October this year were sentenced to a total of 45 years’ imprisonment each. They appeared in the Ramsgate High Court on Wednesday, December 11.
Thulani Chemane (36) and Busani Shoba (27) pleaded guilty and were each sentenced to 22 years for murder, 10 years for attempted murder, 13 years for robbery, and one year for possession of ammunition (to run concurrently).
Mr van der Merwe (61) and his son, Siyanda Ndlovu (13), were at their Sunnyside farm on October 9 this year when they were attacked by the two men.
Mr van der Merwe was killed and the teenager critically wounded. The boy was rushed to hospital after being attended to by paramedics at the scene.
Ixopo SAPS later located and arrested the men. One of the men had previously worked on the farm. Cellphones stolen during the attack were recovered during the arrest.
Provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Mmamonnye Ngobeni welcomed the hefty sentences handed down.
“I would like to convey my sincere appreciation for the sterling efforts and congratulate Ixopo SAPS members for their tireless work to bring evidence before the court to ensure the successful conviction of the murderers who targeted the farm owner and his son,” she said.
