South African farm attacks last month included murders, torture, shootings, stabbings, and people being bound with wire.

• Johan and Pam Kok survived a farm attack in Warden, Free State province of South Africa.

Reports say assailants broke through two gates before breaking into the Kok’s farm house. Johan called authorities as the criminals were kicking in the home’s door. Once they entered the house, he fired a warning shot.

It took police about 25 minutes to respond.

[Farm attack, couple survive as man fires warning shot from behind bedroom door, Warden, attributed to Oorgrens veiligheid, southafricatoday.net, November 3, 2022]

• Two farms were raided near Polokwane in the Limpopo province.

Assailants used an axe to break down a door at one of the farm houses. Two farmhands were handcuffed together and forced to help the intruders carry loot. Power cables were ripped out of the house. Also stolen were lights, solar panel, its battery, and inverter.

The workers were then taken to a second house and forced to carry stolen property to the road. However, the owner was driving on the road at the time and, seeing the assailants, flashed his lights. The thieves fled, leaving most of the stolen property behind.

[Farm attack, 2 farmhouses raided, workers assaulted, handcuffed, Kuschke, Polokwane, attributed to Oorgrens veiligheid, southafricatoday.net, Novemberember 10, 2022]

• Hendry Robertson and his wife Loraine was assaulted and bound during a farm house invasion between Bethal and Trichard, Mpumalanga province.

Reports say four armed attackers ransacked the home, stole electronic equipment, bank cards and other household items and then fled in the owners’ blue Nissan.  

The stolen vehicle was later found.

[Farm attack, couple assaulted, tied up, Brunfelsia Estate, attributed to Oorgrens veiligheid, southafricatoday.net, Novemberember 10, 2022]

• Martie Richards was attacked in her farm house near Middelburg, Mpumalanga province.

The attackers ransacked the woman’s home after threatening to slit her throat.

[Farm attack, attackers threaten to slit elderly woman’s throat, Roossenekal, attributed to Oorgrens veiligheid, southafricatoday.net, November 16, 2022]

• Eight attackers invaded a farm in Vryheid, in the KwaZulu-Natal province.

The attackers stole household items, electronic equipment and a Nissan.

[Farm attack, 8 attackers raid farmhouse, robbed vehicle lookout, Almansnek, attributed to Oorgrens veiligheid, southafricatoday.net, November 17, 2022]

• 80-year-old Hennie van der Walt and his life partner Hester Smal, 79, were attacked in their farmhouse near Delmas, in the Mpumalanga province.

Smal suffers from Alzheimer’s.

Farm workers called authorities after they were unable to enter the house. Upon arrival, police discovered van der Walt dead with gunshot and stab wound. Smal was not physically harmed.

A safe was stolen but found nearby. Other items may also have been taken.

[Farm murder: Farmer (80) found brutally murdered in his home, Dwarsfontein, attributed to Oorgrens veiligheid, southafricatoday.net, November 17, 2022]

• Roy Rafferty, 63, and Vida Rafferty, 60, were murdered at their farm in Normandien, KwaZulu-Natal province in August, 2020.

Roy Rafferty and Vida Rafferty, deceased

Arrested, convicted, and sentenced for the crime in November, 2022, were Doctor Ngwenya (Doctor is a proper name here, not a title), 20, and Sibongiseni Masondo, 33.

A third assailant was earlier convicted and sentenced to 60 years—South Africa abolished the death penalty as soon as it became ”liberated.” A fourth was murdered on the day he was meant to testify.

[Farm murder of the Rafferty couple, accused sentenced, South African Police Service, southafricatoday.net, November 21, 2022]

• 80-year-old Jan Wentzel was bound and robbed during a home invasion in Virginia, Free State province. A farmhand and gardener were also held, as were Wetzel’s grandson, Wentzel Erasmus, and disabled wife, Elsa.

Stolen were two firearms, money, and jewelry from the safe. Also taken was the elderly woman’s rings, necklace, and cell phone.

[Farm attack: Elderly couple and grandson held at gunpoint, robbed, Virginia, attributed to Crime Correspondent, southafricatoday.net, November 23, 2022]

• Sakkie Bell, 67, was bound with wire and left in a pigsty while intruders ransacked his farmhouse in the Bethlehem area of the Free State province.

He was discovered by his fiancé and her brother when they arrived at the home.

Firearms were stolen from a safe.

[Farm attack, farmer found bound with wire in pigsty, Bethlehem, attributed to Oorgrens veiligheid, southafricatoday.net, November 13, 2022]

• Johan Pretorius was robbed at his farm in Middleburg, Mpumalanga province.

The group of thieves posed as buyers interested in purchasing pigs. One fired a shot which, apparently, alerted farm workers, who rushed to the aid of Pretorius.

The attackers demanded cash and access to the safe but fled as the farm workers arrived.

Two of the alleged assailants were caught by the farm workers, then arrested.

[Farm attack: Workers rush to farmers aid, arrest 2 attackers, recover firearm, Middleburg, attributed to Oorgrens veiligheid, southafricatoday.net, November 24, 2022]

• 74-year-old Louise Lamprecht and her husband, Johan, 75, were attacked at the farmhouse near Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng province.

Johan was attacked by a group of males while he was working on a lawn mower. Louise was found deceased in a bathtub, her hands bound.

The thieves stole Johan’s bankcard and firearms taken from a safe.

[Farm murder: Elderly woman’s body found in bath, husband seriously injured, Vanderbijlpark, attributed to Crime Correspondent, southafricatoday.net, November 24, 2022]

• A 52-year-old farmer was fired on in Canelands, KwaZulu Natal province, while he was opening a gate.

The farmer fled to the bush where he returned fire, causing the assailants to flee.

[Farm attack, multiple shots fired at a farmer, Canelands, attributed to Reaction Unit South Africa, southafricatoday.net, November 24, 2022]

• A 72-year-old woman was confronted by three armed black males at her farm near Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape province.

The woman was confronted by the gunmen as she lowered her garage door. She was bound as the assailants ransacked her home.

Stolen were four firearms and jewelry from the safe. The invaders fled in the victim’s Mercedes Benz.

[Farm attack, elderly woman held at gunpoint, tied up, firearms and vehicle taken, PE, attributed to Crime Correspondent, southafricatoday.net, November 27, 2022]

• Francois and wife Kitty Fick were sleeping when their farm was attacked in Vhembe, Limpopo province.

The couple were wakened by gun shots fired at their house. The assailants fled as Francois returned fire.

Kitty suffered a gunshot wound to her leg.

[Farm attack, woman hospitalised with gunshot wound, Mara, attributed to South African Police Service, southafricatoday.net, November 29, 2022]

• A 31-year-old woman was attacked as she left her farmhome in Brits, North West Province.

Reports say the attackers used pangas, an axe, and a knife to subdue the woman before dragging her back into her home. There she was bound and assaulted with the weapons as the attackers demanded firearms.

A domestic worker was also attacked. The assailants ransacked the house.

The woman was hospitalized with a broken bone and head injuries.

[Farm attack, woman (31) severely injured by attackers with pangas and an axe, Brits, attributed to Oorgrens veiligheid, southafricatoday.net, November 29, 2022]

• 84-year-old Hans Jurie Venter and his wife were tortured during a farmhome invasion near Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal province, resulting in the man’s death.

He was suffocated and strangled to death.

The “house was ransacked and some of his belongings such as a television, laptop, jewellery and cellphone were stolen.”

Two of the suspects died during a shootout as authorities pursued them. Six others were arrested.

Apparently, the group was engaged in a crime spree involving other home invasions.

[Farm murder: Elderly couple brutally tortured, man (84) killed, Greytown, attributed to Oorgrens veiligheid, southafricatoday.net, November 30, 2022]