Pages

20100708

NW landowner Johanna Smit, 76, murdered, Witpoort, Wolmaransstad

“Nothing was stolen, only one thing was taken… her life” – son in law Mark van Zyl 

(updated: death certificate signed by SAPS below) July 8 2010 – In the third farm-attack in North West Province since May 22, landowner Mrs Johanna  Magrietha Smit, 76, (the mother of Mrs Rietha van Zyl, who lives in the USA with her family) was murdered just after returning from church on July 4 2010 at her smallholding at Witpoort, in the Wolmaransstad district. Nothing was robbed, reports Mark van Zyl, the murdered woman’s son-in-law.Smit Johanna Magrietha murdered July 4 2010 North West homestead

Transvaal Agricultural Union spokesman Henk van der Graaf has also confirmed the murder through the local agricultural community in Wolmaransstad. He commented that he was puzzled as to why the news wasn’t being published in the main-stream news media nor confirmed by the SA Police. He had provided the information to Radio Pretoria, which had broadcast his interview on July 7 2010 – but did not list the murder as one of their daily news items. Henk vd Graaf:  koms@tlu.co.za. Censorbugbear-Reports.blogspot.com also has received a copy of her death certificate.

“The cause of death is strangulation’, writes her son-in-law Mr van Zyl, who is enroute to South Africa to attend her funeral this week. “My mother in law was the most amicable senior lady and widow, aged 76. She never killed an animal in her life and also was proud of the fact that she never touched a gun in her life. On Sunday 4 July 2010, after returning from church in Wolmaransstad, she was surprised by killers who took her inside the house, tied her to a chair and pulled plastic bags over her head. This is how a family friend found her little frail body. Nothing was stolen only one thing was taken...her life. “

-------------------------------------------

Smit Johanna Magrietha Death certificate July42010

Death Certificate, Mrs Johanna Magrieta Smit:

Police involvement in NW farm attacks:

Mrs Smit was murdered on the same day when a farm attack targetting handicapped  Schweizer-Reneke farmer Toby Van den Heever, 80, was thwarted by two employees. Thus far three on-duty SAPS officers have been arrested for two thwarted farm-attacks in North West province, which were carried out on May 22 and July 4. (report below).

Mrs Smit was killed inside her own homestead at Witpoort, which is located between Leeudoringstad and Wolmaransstad, in North West province.

WOLMARANSSTAD NORTH WEST 2008_9 SAPS CRIME RECORDS

33 violence-related deaths in Wolmaransstad in bookyear 2008/9

In the  last available SAPS crime statistics for this district from March 2008 to March 2009, a total twelve murders plus 21 culpible homicides were recorded that year, i.e. a total of 33 violence-related deaths.

Three cops, one ex-cop  arrested in two thwarted farm attacks in NW: On July 4 - on the same day when Mrs Van Zyl was murdered – the farm of 80-year-old Toby Van den Heever, located in the Schweizer-Reneke district of North West, also was attacked: in this attack an SAPS-officer from the Amalia police station was arrested shortly thereafter by police who responded to the emergency call; and  two hero farmworkers,  Abraham Sesing and Hendrik Eksteen (pictured below) --  who had moved into the homestead twop months earlier to help protect the frail, handicapped 80-year-old farmer -- had also shot at and injured another of the four armed male attackers while they were tearing down the homestead’s security door.  A total of 3 SAPS officers and one ex-cop now are in custody for involvement in these two thwarted farm attacks in Schweizer-Reneke: on May 22 and July 4…

SchweizerRenekeFarmAttackThwartedAbrahamSesing_l_HendrikEksteenJuly42010Beeld

SA Police officer from Amalia police station was driving the getaway car…

The arrested Amalia-SAPS member, 36,  was allegedly driving the get-away-car. He was remanded into police custody during a court appearance on July 5, said SAPS Captain Aafje Botma, the spokeswoman for the SAPS in North West. She said the arrested cop’s service pistol has been confiscated – and an internal enquiry will be lodged. Three other suspects are still missing.

Gloria Edwards of Beeld newspaper also reported that during the previous attack against the farm of Abraham Oosthuizen on May 22 2010,  several police officers from Roodepoort and Randfontein were also arrested when the local farm-watch members descended on the farm in large numbers. The Van den Heever farm is located halfway between Schweizer-Reneke en Delareyville.

Workers had moved into homestead to protect Mr Van den Heever:

The farmer’s granddaughter Mildred Veldman, 29, said Sesing and the Eksteen family had moved into the Van den Heever homestead ‘to protect him and to help him. My granddad lost a  leg about six months ago and has to use a wheelchair,’ she said. “Abraham and Tokolosh are heroes. I can only imagine what could have happened if they hadn’t stopped the attackers.’

Police later also arrested a police officer after the police obtained information that a “specific white car” had been used to transport the farm-attack gang. The policeman was arrested very close to the farm in a white Toyota Avanza car shortly after the attack. NW police spokeswoman Captain Aafje Botma said this arrested man’s SAPS pistol was confiscated and he’s being investigated internally for his role in this attack. The three other suspects are still missing,’

SAPS constable Rebecca Mfisa arrested for May 22 2010 farm-attack, Schweizer-Reneke

Johannesburg – May 22 2010 - SAPS Constable Rebecca Mfisa of the SAPS Crime Prevention Unit in Florida/Roodepoort, Gauteng was arrested and appeared in court for the attempted murder of Schweizer-Reneke farmer Abraham Oosthuizen, 36,  on Friday. May 22 2010.   She was remanded to May 31 for a formal bail application with two other suspects in the North West magistrate’s court on Monday and is being investigated for an attempted murder charge, North West police Lt-Gen. Lesetja Ephraim Beetha told the news media.

The female constable was arrested in a road-block while driving away from the crime scene – which is 333km from her duty station in Florida. Two other suspects appeared with her, namely Mr Modisaotsile Advocate Koki, 37, and ex-police officer Mr Thembila Johannes Rens, 35 – the latter is believed to be a in a relationship with Mfisa. The fourth suspect is still being sought, reports SAPA.

Mr Oosthuizen was attacked and fired upon at his car-port next to his homestead at about 20h00 Friday.  The attackers fled after Oosthuizen fired off a shot and then barricaded himself inside his homestead while alerting the local farm-watch volunteers --  some neighbours arrived on the scene within seven minutes while other farmers organised road-blocks around the farm and launched searches for the attackers. Mfisa was allegedly captured with incriminating materials in a white bakkie,  chasing away from the crime-scene at high speed.

Police searching Mfisa’s bakkie discovered her police identification, a police-issue gun, a police-issue torch, an orange emergency light and two-way hand radios in the vehicle. The Democratic Alliance obtained confirmation during a parliamentary question-session that one of the arrested people had also been a police officer. http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page72308?oid=177721&sn=Marketingweb%20detail

North West farms embroiled in rejected land-claims row:

North West farms are lately targetted more than other regions  by organised, armed black gangs. There is-- because there is a fierce battle for control of the land: mainly sparked by the large deposits of  a variety of highly valuable minerals such as platinum. Members of the Mekgareng tribe – more specifically the Makuwe-clan, have submitted claims to the Land Claims Court to large portions of North West land. http://www.broederstroomlandclaim.co.za/Court-order-22-02-2010.PDF

Farm attacks summary June, July 2010

SPATE OF FARM ATTACKS JULY 4 2010

http://www.farmitracker.com/reports

FarmiTrackerReportsUpdatedJuly12010

page 2:

FARM ATTACKS JULY 4 2010
 SPATE OF

http://www.farmitracker.com/reports

Russell Walford, dairy farmer killed, Peacevale, KZN

 

July 4 2010 – Dairy farmer Russell Walford, 73, was bludgeoned to death in his cattle shed…

Mr Russell Walford, a prominent craftsman and dairy farmer of Peacevale, KwaZulu-Natal,was murdered on his farm on Sunday night, July 4 2010. He was also stabbed at his house about three months ago during an armed robbery.

Source: Highway Mail community paper, New Germany, and Pietermaritzburg, KwaZuluNatal- July 9 2010 Front Page – (Caxton Newspapers: not online)

Highway Mail reported that Mr Russell (73) was bludgeoned to death in his cattle shed and then dragged under a tree. This follows after Russell was also stabbed during a robbery at his house about three months ago.

Russell had expressed his concern about his safety on the farm to his family including his sister. Maxine Binx, who lives in England. When he failed to answer her call on Sunday evening, she started to worry. Knowing that her brother always returned her calls, she alerted Andrew Walford, their brother who lives in Shongweni. On Sunday morning Andrew made his way to the farm and called a neighbour to help search for his brother. Russell's body was found under a tree at 9.30am.

Captain Thulani Zwane, from the Provincial SAPF communication unit, confirmed that Russell was attacked in his cattle shed and suffered severe head injuries caused by a blunt object. A former employee (25) was arrested on Monday in connection with the murder when police found Russell's car key's, cell phone and computer in his possession. He will appear in court soon. Russell's wife, who now lives in London, was also attacked and shot during a robbery on the same farm five years ago and is now paralysed. It is now up to Andrew and his wife, Leanda to tend to his farm: "There is so much to do, but the neighbours have been fantastic and very helpful," said Andrew.

Walford Russell Murdered July 4 2010 PEACEVALE KZN HighwayMailFrontPage2

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001108447359#!/photo.php?pid=1429721&id=1389050771&fbid=1533483342225

http://censorbugbear-reports.blogspot.com/2010/07/johanna-smit-76-murdered-witpoort.htmlWalford Russell Murdered July 4 2010 PEACEVALE KZN HighwayMailFrontPage

Highway Mail, Pietermaritzburg: contacts: Tel : (033) 394-1042 Fax : (033) 394-8805 Email :
johnm@dbn.caxon.co.za

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001108447359#!/photo.php?pid=1429721&id=1389050771&fbid=1533483342225

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_South_African_media

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SPATE OF FARM ATTACKS JULY 4 2010

page 1

FarmiTrackerReportsUpdatedJuly12010

page 2:

FARM ATTACKS JULY 4 2010 SPATE OF

 

http://www.farmitracker.com/reports