Three allegedly assaulted on farm, one dies

MARBLE HALL – The Bolsheviks Party of South Africa has lodged a complaint with the Limpopo South African Police Service (SAPS) following an alleged assault of three male farm workers at a farm outside Marble Hall last week.

According to eyewitnesses, the three farm workers had gone to the farm, A.P Ras Boedery, to demand payments owed to them when the alleged assault took place.

It is alleged that upon arrival, the farm owner told them to come a little later as he still needed time to get their payments ready.

It is said that the three men decided to leave but before they could vacate the premises, the farm owner called security guards and another white male to have the men apprehended for trespassing.

The eyewitnesses said the men were locked up in room, beaten up and when it looked like they were dead, they were loaded onto a bakkie and dropped off somewhere away from the farm.

“What the assailants didn’t know was that only one of the men was dead and the other two were barely holding on to dear life. One of them is still in ICU at a local hospital but the other one has recuperated and was able to tell the police exactly what transpired,” said an insider.

Seun Mogotji, BPSA leader, said the problem was that the investigating officer on the case was being biased as he disputed the statement given by farm workers.

Mogotji said there were witnesses who saw the men dragged into the room in question and that none of the community members at the farm were involved in the incident as claimed that they were assaulted by farm workers.

“Why was the statement of the five security guards and the white male not taken? These men were assaulted and a life was lost and according to people in the area the farmer is notoriously known for getting away with many transgressions because of his alleged close ties with certain members of the SAPS in the area,” said Mogotji.

The leader said they asked that the case be given preference as soon as possible as the suspect would be appearing before court for bail application.

“We are also not happy with the fact that the farmer is given preferential treatment in the holding cells. All must be treated fairly by our law enforcement agencies regardless of whether they have money or not. As things stand in this case, he farmer will literally get away with murder and there is nothing anyone will do. The Provincial Police Commissioner must intervene and help in the matter,” concluded Mogotji.

Attempts to get comment from Limpopo Provincial Police were not successful at the time of going to press.