A triple murder on Monday on a farm at Bishopstowe in KwaZulu-Natal shook the farming community in the province.
Col. Police spokesperson Thembeka Mbele said there was apparently a labor dispute between Daniël de Bruin and some of his workers two weeks ago.
“Two of the workers were unhappy with their employer’s decision. The farm was closed and the workers were moved to an informal settlement where they live, ”said Mbele.
Two suspects apparently showed up at a tuck shop on the farm yesterday, found De Bruin’s son there, and bought chips and made remarks.
“Later in the afternoon, another farmer called the victim’s son and informed him that the farm was on fire,” Mbele said.
“There was no answer when he tried to call his parents. He hurried to the farm and found his parents’ and grandfather’s bodies with stab wounds to the neck and head. “
According to the police, the body of 58-year-old Daniël de Bruin was found a few meters from the main house. His wife, Glynis de Bruin (60), was found dead in the kitchen. The body of 84-year-old Colin de Bruin, Daniel’s father, was found just outside his room.
“After an intensive investigation, detectives from Bishopstowe, with the help of the Mountain Rise dog unit, arrested two suspects, aged 27 and 35, at the Swapo informal settlement in Copesville.
“They will appear in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday on charges of murder,” Mbele said.
Lt.Gen. Khombinkosi Jula, KwaZulu-Natal police chief, praised the police for the speedy arrests.
“Justice will be done and we hope the family finds reassurance in the knowledge that the [alleged] offenders are behind bars,” Jula said.
Meanwhile, Chris Pappas, a DA member of the provincial legislature, said the party was deeply saddened by the killings, as well as the murder of an 85-year-old farmer from Albert Falls. The man was shot dead last week.
“The two atrocities are just the latest in what has been a terrible and tragic few months in the KwaZulu-Natal farming community. The DA expresses its deepest condolences to all the families and communities affected by the continuing violence in our rural areas, ”Pappas said.
According to Pappas, the DA has already submitted several proactive proposals and solutions to the KwaZulu-Natal Prime Minister, Sihle Zikalala, and his MEC for Agriculture and Community Safety.
That was four months ago and according to Pappas, no follow-up meeting has taken place since then for any further discussions.
“In all cases, the blatant lack of political will and the insensitive attitude of the ANC-led provincial government are crystal clear. The lack of action borders on dereliction of duty by the province’s leadership. “
Pappas says that while the government is rapidly intervening in violence against the freight industry and transit robberies, it is sitting motionless and emotionless on issues affecting farmers and farm workers – people who, according to it, are being attacked and killed at a much greater rate than many other groups.
“Not only are they fighting against nature, the coronavirus and policy uncertainty while trying to feed South Africans, they are also spending their nights guarding their families and communities in the hope that they will not be next.”
Dads say farmers, farm workers and rural communities need to be protected from these cruel crimes.
“The question is: How much longer do they have to wait for the government to act firmly? Or is the government waiting for communities to take matters into their own hands? ”
