I am sorry this blog has not been updated recently, this is due to circumstances in my private life which have limited the amount of time I have been able to spend on the computer.
However, I would like to share just a small number of the news stories from South Africa which readers have sent me over the last six weeks:
Retired mechanic killed on smallholding Mr. John Staples (79) was killed at a Roodepoort smallholding outside Bronkhorstspruit, at the end of September. Mr. Sarel van der Walt, Staples's son in law, said the exact circumstances of the murder is still unknown. "It seems they are one of the doors broken open and my late father in his bed, overwhelmed," Van der Walt said.
News reportFarmers forced to catch attackersFarmers in Limpopo have condemned the police's slow response to a farm attack that took place near Marken on Sunday.
Instead, it was the farmers who ended up catching the suspects.
A farmer and his wife, both 66 years old, were attacked by three men who threatened them with a knife.
The farmer was tied up in an outside toilet while his wife was raped by all three attackers.
Spokesperson for the Transvaal Agricultural Union's northern branch (TAU-SA North), Dries Joubert, said "as usual" farmers were first on the scene after the farmer managed to untie himself and call for help.
"The landline of the Villa Nora police precinct has been out of order and the police gave us a cellphone number to report crime," said Joubert.
The cellphone number was not answered on Sunday, however.
News reportNZ Rugby coach stabbedFormer New Zealand rugby coach John Mitchell has been stabbed in a break-in at his home in Johannesburg.
Mitchell, who joined South African provincial side Lions as head coach in July, was attacked on October 9th. Mitchell had been stabbed in the thigh and upper arm after two burglars broke into the house he shared with fellow New Zealand-born coach Wayne Taylor in the wealthy Hyde Park suburb.
The former 46-year-old All Blacks player was taken to hospital in nearby Sandton, where he received stitches to the two wounds.
News reportState witness in corruption trial attacked on farmA Jack Russell terrier probably saved the lives of a Wesselsbron farmer and his wife when it started barking wildly in the garden, alerting them to the presence of intruders.
Carel Marais, 59, a farmer and businessman, says the incident on his farm was no ordinary robbery or farm attack.
He says the four armed men were there to kill him to prevent him from testifying in a controversial corruption trial.
One of the defendants in the case is the brother of a Free State Provincial Executive Council member.
"There is no doubt in my mind that the four men - who each had R1 000 on them when they were arrested - were paid to kill me."
News reportSA Police Killed 860 in the last yearAltogether 860 people died at the hands of South African police or in their custody last year. According to the latest figurs, 294 suspects died in custody and a further 566 people were killed by police.
Of those, 46% died during the course of arrest and many others while a crime was under way. A further seven people were allegedly "tortured" to death.
Admittedly, the total killed are 6% down on last year
ReportFarmer's wife shoots attacker in the neckIn another farm attack on the farm Stormpan in the Freestate,a farmer's wife shot an attacker in the neck around 3am. Mrs Cecilia Steynberg (51) were home alone at the time because her husband had to go to Kroonstad. Fortunately she was woken up by her small dogs and heard the attacker. She took the gun from the safe and when the intruder rushed at her, she managed to shoot him in the neck at a range of around one meter.
News reportFather of two pretends he is dead after he is shot four times The following attack took place in Koster which is a small town in a rural farming area however, it is not clear from the report whether this would constitute a farm attack
Mr. Coenie Pitout (35), Father of 2 little girls was shot 4 times by 3 intruders who broke into the family's home. Mr. Pitout's wife woke him up when she heard noises. Wrongly assuming his wife had heard the children he did not take any weapon with him. On entering the kitchen he was shot in the left cheek at close range by one of three intruders who confronted him. He put up a fight and was stabbed and shot a second time. The report then states that he managed to free his one daughter from one of the attackers so both girls could get to their Mother in the bedroom which has somewhat sinister implications. The mother then broke a window and fled to the neighbours.
The intruders then shot Pitout for a third time, this time in the shoulder whereupon he fell down pretending to be dying, in the hope that they would stop attacking him, but an attacker approached him, stepped on his face and shot him again, in the chest.
According to the police he attackers did not demanded money or any valuables.
Miraculously the victim survived the attack but as of he news report dated 28 September he remained in a serious condition in hospital
News ReportSix Year old found next to father's bodyA 6year old girl from Vereeniging stayed with her father's corpse for 10 hours after he was killed by attackers who broke into their home in the three rivers area.
Mr. Christo Mouton (54), an accountant, who was working for Child Welfare for Vereeniging was shot in the heart.
The attackers fled with the TV and PC's only.
The girl was found next to her father's body by the house keeper the next morning.
News storyAdditional recommended reading:
10,000 + SA Cops in PrisonWillem Ratte’s Declarations from Jail - Scroll down for English version
Are Afrikaner Whites Not South Africans?__________________________
Thanks to Dina, Jenny, Birdman, Molder
Another South African farmer was murdered on Tuesday night on his farm near Warden in the Free State, between Johannesburg and Durban. 43 year old Christiaan van Wyngaard, owner of the Good Hope farm had been repeatedly stabbed with a sharp object.
