Photos: 2022: August Farm Attacks In South Africa: Murders, Assaults, Kidnapping—And Farmers Fighting Back
(005320.38-:E-003569.93:N-HO:R-SU:C-30:V)
White Shop: Tigers in the Mud: The Combat Career of German Panzer Commander Otto Carius
He was physically small and often underestimated, but once he took command of his first Tiger he found his calling and worked his way up the chain of command from a lowly loader to company leader. His exploits on the Ost Front became semi-legendary, but unlike some of his more famous fellow Tiger aces (Wittman, von Strachwitz), he survived to tell the tale first-hand.
Farm attacks continued in South Africa in August. There were three murders, people assaulted and bound, reports of farmers fighting back in self-defense, and this report of four Lesoth nationals being charged in a 2019 murder.
- Tool Wessels, 55, was murdered during a farm home invasion near Bonnievale, Western Cape province of South Africa.
His wife, Liezel, was seriously injured when the assailants poured boiling water on her. Her husband was also tortured before being shot in the head, reports say.
Three Lesotho nationals were arrested on charges of murder and attempted murder. On July 25, 2022, the three suspects were extradited at the Maseru border and are expected to make a court appearance in the Bonnievale Magistrate’s Court.
The crimes occurred in 2019.
[Horrific Bonnievale farm murder and torture, 4 Lesotho Nationals arrested, by South African Police Service, southafricatoday.net, July 27, 2022]- A 76-year-old farmer was assaulted and bound at his farm near Elandslaagte in the Mpumalanga province.
A 68-year-old relative was also assaulted and bound during the attack.
The assailant fled the scene with cell phones, money, and valuables. After freeing himself, the farmer notified his son, who lives in a separate house on the same property.
[Farm attack, elderly victims assaulted, tied up in their beds, Middelburg, attributed to Oorgrens veiligheid, southafricatoday.net, August 2, 2022]- The remains of Hendrik Pistorius, 53, were found on his farm in Piket Bo-Berg Western Cape province.
Pistorius died of blunt force head trauma.
Cash was reported stolen.
[Farm murder: Body of murdered farmer found on his farm, Piketberg, attributed to Oorgrens veiligheid, southafricatoday.net, August 4, 2022]- Joop, 87, and Carla, 85, van Reeuwyk were assaulted with a steel fence pole at their farm home in Mooinooi, North West province.
An unknown number of assailants entered their home by breaking a window.
Neighbors were notified via radio and, upon arrival, the assailants fled.
Both victims suffered serious brain injuries.
[Farm attack, victims seriously injured during assault with steel fence pole, Mooinooi, attributed to Oorgrens veiligheid, southafricatoday.net, August 9, 2022]- Farmer Dawie Keeve was ambushed on his farm near Middelburg, Mpumalanga province.
Reports say Keeve was checking a generator when the attack occurred. He was abducted in his own truck. His daughter, however, was able to contact neighbors from the house.
One of the responders spotted Keeve’s truck and gave pursuit, resulting in the arrest of two suspects. Three others were later arrested.
[Farm attack, swift response by farmers saves victim, 5 arrested, Broodsnyersplaas, attributed to Oorgrens veiligheid, southafricatoday.net, August 11, 2022]- A woman in Cyferfontein, Limpopo province contacted neighbors after noting men using a ladder to access her home through a second-story sliding door.
Once inside, the assailants demanded cash and access to a safe. They fled upon the arrival of first responders. An unknown number of items were stolen.
[Farm attackers use ladder to access first floor, woman overpowered, Cyferfontein, attributed to Oorgrens veiligheid, southafricatoday.net, August 12, 2022]- A farmer fatally shot a home invader near Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal province.
Reports say four assailants entered the farmer’s home, bound him and his wife, then ransacked the house. The elderly couple were able to free themselves and, after retrieving a firearm, the farmer fatally shot one of the invaders. The others fled.
[Farm attack, elderly farmer defends himself and wife, kills 1 attacker, Ennersdale, attributed to Oorgrens veiligheid, southafricatoday.net, August 13, 2022]- A man, his wife, and young daughter were assaulted and bound at the farmstead in Lydenburg, Mpumalanga province.
The assailants ransacked the home, remaining for five hours while they loaded the farmer’s truck and another vehicle with stolen items.
[Farm attack, family assaulted, tied up—Lookout for a number of vehicles, Badfontein, attributed to Oorgrens veiligheid, southafricatoday.net, August 15, 2022]- A bound woman was found murdered in her farmhouse near Olifantshoek, Northern Cape Province.
Her husband was found shortly thereafter, bound but alive in a field. The couple were described as “elderly.”
The attackers made off with a firearm and cell phone.
[Farm murder, woman brutally murdered, husband hospitalised, Olifantshoek, attributed to Oorgrens veiligheid, southafricatoday.net, August 16, 2022]- A farmer fatally shot a knife-wielding home invader near Hankey in the Eastern Cape province.
No other pertinent information was provided.
[Farm attack, farmer shoots and kills armed attacker in his home, Hankey, attributed to Oorgrens veiligheid, southafricatoday.net, August 20, 2022]- Three armed attackers fled after 43-year-old Vincent Mills opened fire in his Kameeldrift West home in Gauteng province.
The farmer’s courageous action may have saved the life of his pregnant wife and the couple’s sons. The assailants fled, leaving a trail of blood.
[Farm attack, owner retrieves his firearm opens fire on attackers, Kameeldrift West, attributed to Oorgrens veiligheid, southafricatoday.net, August 24, 2022]- Pieter van der Westhuizen was killed when he responded to an attack at a nearby farm near Zeerust, North West province.
The white victim was apparently shot as he followed a suspicious truck after the report of a black farm worker being attacked by a group of men.
[Farm attack, gun battle leaves first responder and 1 attacker dead, Groot Marico, attributed to Oorgrens veiligheid, southafricatoday.net, August 29, 2022]Low IQ & Bad Schools: South Africa: 18 schools get zero matric pass rate
Pretoria No pupils passed the 2010 matric exams at 18 schools, according to figures released by the basic education department on Thursday.
