By Doreen Mokgolo
- The group say the farmer called them racist names, forced them into a trench and told them to choose how they wanted to die.
- One man was stabbed, and another was nearly shot before bystanders called police. The farmer is facing attempted murder charges.
A Springs farmer has been arrested for the attempted murder of five friends who were walking through an open veld near his farm on Sunday afternoon.
The group had just visited a friend’s girlfriend at Far East Rand Hospital in Ekurhuleni. On their way home, they decided to take a shortcut through an open veld near the Never Never informal settlement, a popular path used daily by local workers.
Fanela Mthembu, one of the victims, said the man confronted them with a gun and started hurling insults, calling them racist names and accusing them of trespassing.
“We were nowhere near his farm fence. But before we could even react, he started shooting at us,” said Mthembu.
He said the farmer ordered them to walk toward a ditch and threatened to kill them. “He told us to jump inside the trench and choose how we wanted to die, by gun or by knife.”
Mthembu said the man fired again, and the group ran in different directions. One of their friends, Wandile, tripped and was pinned to the ground by the suspect, who sat on top of him and threatened to shoot him.
Another friend, Athinkosi, tried to help but was stabbed several times by the suspect when he tried to grab the gun.
Motorists witnessed the attack and called the police. Officers arrived and arrested the farmer.
Three of the victims were also arrested at the scene, but their charges were dropped the next day.
Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed that the suspect is facing an attempted murder charge and will appear in the Springs Magistrates’ Court.
Pictured above: Open veld where the five friends were attacked near Springs.
Image source: Doreen Mokgolo
