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20110917

Francois Marais dies after fierce fight with farm-attackers

Francois Marais, 26,  dies two days later from 9am farm attack on Sept 15 2011 by three armed blacks, Withok smallholding, Brakpan

Thelma Koorts of the Brakpan Herald noted that the young unarmed dad engaged in hand-to-hand combat with three black males who had invaded their Withok smallholding homestead in Brakpan, armed with a gun and big knives at around 9am Sept 15 2011. The attackers fled without stealing anything after shooting and stabbing Mr Marais. He died on Saturday: it was his  second son Markus’ third birthday…

MARAIS Francois dead farm attack Sept2011 wife Ina sons Konrad LAP Markus m Francois

Sept 17 2011. Source: journalist Thelma Koorts, Brakpan Herald. Mr. Francois Marais, a dad of three small sons, died two days after putting up a fierce fight against three armed blacks who invaded their smallholding on Thursday-morning in broad daylight. Nothing was robbed. He died on his second son Markus’ third birthday.

The courageous young dad paid for his fierce defence of his young family with his life. His broken parents, well-known business people in Brakpan, now have to try and make sense together with his widow Ina of the senseless act of violence which had ripped away their loved one.

The couple's three sons Francois, 4, Markus, 3 and Konraad, 2, where present when the homestead was invaded at around 9am.  Ina told Ms Koorts that she had driven away at around 7.40am from the homestead to offload goods while Francois fixed breakfast for the children. "I returned and one of our workers took the bakkie to go and fetch more goods,' she said. What the couple didn't realise was that at that stage, the three farm-attackers had already accosted and tied up another worker. “The worker who took the bakkie then also was attacked and then the three blacks came storming into the kitchen.” The three boys were in another room.

One of the attackers had a firearm, the other two brandished large knives. "Francois reacted by throwing a glass at the man with the firearm and storming him at once,' she said. “I was boiling water in the kettle and threw boiling water towards the other two.' A life-and-death struggle erupted between Francois and the three armed blacks, while Ina ran to the children in another room. I told the children to stay in that room. Then I went back to the kitchen when I heard shots. I found Francois outside: the attackers had fled. "He told me he was shot and stabbed several times; I helped him into the bakkie with the children and chased to the Dalview Clinic. He was stabilised there and then transferred to the Life Glynnwood Hospital in Benoni. It was found that one of the shots penetrated his left-lung and damaged it so extensively that it was removed during surgery. "The bullet embedded itself in his spine and the doctors decided not to remove it at that stage,' she said.  "It really didnt go well with my dear husband but we never stopped hoping and praying that he would be saved.' On Friday a second operation was performed. He remained critical after that and died on Saturday-morning: on the third birthday of their son Marcus.  Ms Koorts does not say whether the police have opened a murder-docket yet.
http://looklocal.co.za/looklocal/content/en/brakpan/brakpan-news-general?oid=4708768&sn=Detail&pid=490015&Pa-van-drie-vermoor

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