North West MEC for Human Settlements, Public Safety & Liaison, Ms Desbo Mohono on Wednesday condemned in the strongest term the attack on Vryburg farmer, John Steyn. MEC Mohono urged police not to leave any stone unturned in their effort to find Steyn’s assailants.
Mohono said that attacks on farmers are an attack on the rural economy of the province. She said that such attacks should be prevented through strengthened partnership between police and farming communities and collaborative crime prevention efforts as part of implementation of the rural policing strategy.
The 58 year-old farmer who lives alone on his Neuklaagte farm was allegedly stabbed by two men during a robbery on his farm. He was allegedly attacked on Tuesday around 8h30 pm. The attackers reportedly claimed to have had a punctured tyre and asked the farmer for a pump. While Steyn was helping them, they allegedly struck him over the back of the head with a rock when his back was turned.
During the ensuing struggle the pair allegedly stabbed him seven times in the back and once in the stomach with a broken bottle. They fled with Steyn's white Mazda Drifter bakkie, which was parked outside the house. Steyn reportedly fired two shots at his attackers with his firearm, but missed.
The farmer only managed to contact police and paramedics on Wednesday morning after he purportedly found his cellphone near where he had struggled with the pair.
According to police, no arrests have thus far been made.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Tel: 018 381 9171
Fax: 018 381 9123
Cell: 083 629 1987
E-mail: Lkgwele@nwpg.gov.za
