Cosatu expresses concerns about farm killings
The North West province has been rocked by several cases of farm workers being killed, and October saw the deaths of at least three more farm workers reported.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said on Wednesday that farmers had allegedly killed these farm workers.
“Since the month of October, there have been three killings of farm workers in the province. What is shocking about the recent case is that it involves police officers and some farm workers, who were instructed by the farmer to assault their colleagues,” said provincial Cosatu secretary Solly Phetoe.
“The recent killing in the Stella area has confirmed the barbarity and backwardness of some farmers in the area. We demand that all involved be held accountable, especially the farmer, who used other workers to commit a heinous crime.”
A farmer, Tigwinita Luwantu, 48, his wife, Lindiwe Mpathani, 39, Moipolai Mmastoki, 54, Lehula Kedibone, 37, Simphiwe Cele, 31, David Plaatjie, 43, and Thatafalo Kibane, 18, appeared in the Vryburg Magistrate’s on Wednesday, charged with kidnapped, assaulted and murder.
They allegedly beat Moses Mothobi Mosepele, 45, Mosimanegape Thekisho, 36, and Andries Tsubane, 34, they accused of stealing a sheep from Tigwinita’s farm in Soutpansfontein near Stella on October 27.
The group allegedly locked the three men in a cold room beat them with knobkerries, and forced them to drink boiling. They also allegedly poured boiling hot water over their bodies.
Mosepele died after the attack, Thekisho and Tsubane were admitted to hospital with serious injuries.
Two police constables Bonginkosi Mazibuko, 37 and Olebogeng Nkele, 31, called to the scene allegedly joined the group to attacked the three men.
They were arrested after the families of the men laid charges against them. Mazibuko was arrested on Thursday and Nkele on Friday. The two policemen appeared in court on Monday, and their case was postponed to Wednesday, for them to appear along side Tigwinita and others.
The case against all accused was postponed to Friday, for the court to rule on their bail application.
“We are also calling on the black farmers in the province to stop adopting the barbaric attitudes against their employees. They must report all cases of theft to the police,” Phetoe said. - ANA