Loving husband and wife, Glen (63) and Vida (60) were shot dead while waiting outside their farmhouse in Normandy late Saturday night.
The news comes on the same day that thousands protested against farm violence/murders in South Africa.
There have been reports that the attackers disabled and removed the security cameras on the property before they made their attack.
“I believe many people who took part in the largest nationwide motorcycle march to date against farm murders were not even back home when the Rafferty couple was not killed.” says Dr. Lourie Bosman, a leader farmer and Freedom Front Plus.
Bosman has described Rafferty as a respectful man who treated all his workers fairly, he was also excellent at human relations.
“He was a true gentleman, a gentle employer who could speak Zulu fluently and worked well with his people,”
“He was very involved in the farming community.”
Netwerk24 reports that the attackers spent very little time at the property after they killed the couple.
The alarm was raised when the neighborhood watch was patrolling the area and noticed that the farm gate was still open, this was out of the ordinary as it was 05:30 on a Sunday morning and the gates are usually closed.
Upon further inspection of the property, they were met with an aggressive guard dog preventing them from entering the property. A family member was then called as the dog would allow them to pass, it was at this point a family member entered the murder scene.
Bosman has expressed that the area is struggling with the increased crime against farmers, they are subjected to stock theft and arson.