The 57-year-old Dries Botha's brother-in-law, Kobus van Rensburg, says Botha succumbed to his shot wounds in a Johannesburg hospital after he was transferred by helicopter from a hospital in Brits yesterday afternoon.

Van Rensburg says Botha was allegedly overpowered outside his house when he went to activate an alarm system at his sheep kraal and shed last Tuesday at about 20:00.

It is suspected that five shots were fired at Botha. He sustained three shot wounds in the upper body and a shot wound in the arm. His wife was inside the house. She locked herself in a bathroom and called their neighbours for help when she heard her husband screaming outside. Van Rensburg says Botha fought back after which his attackers fled the scene without stealing anything.

Van Rensburg describes Botha as hard working. He was a successful farmer. “It is terrible. One does not have answers. You know, it seems as if this does not matter to those in government’s top structures, said an emotional Van Rensburg.

Police last week confirmed seven suspects were arrested on Wednesday at Hartbeespoort Dam following Botha’s attack on Tuesday. All seven suspects were also arrested in connection with another farm attack last month on Hennie Eksteen on his farm in the Skeerpoort area. They briefly appeared in the Brits Magistrate’s Court on Friday on a charge of attempted murder. Meanwhile, police spokesperson, Mpeile Talane, has confirmed that police are now investigating a case of murder following Botha’s death.

Botha is the third farmer in North West who has died in a farm attack since last Friday.

The 68-year-old Patrick Itumeng was shot dead in his house on his farm outside Vryburg on June, 30, while Elsa Erasmus’s body was found in the veld on her farm outside Amalia on Sunday, July 2.

According to police spokesperson, Amanda Funani, five suspects are wanted in connection with Itumeng’s murder. He sustained a shot wound to his forehead after his attackers fired four shots inside his farmhouse. Itumeng's wife was also shot in her hand. She was rushed to a hospital. Nothing was stolen. Police are investigating a case of murder and attempted murder.

Police in the Amalia area are also searching for an unknown number of attackers after Erasmus was allegedly brutally attacked with a sharp object. A post-mortem was to be conducted to establish the cause of her death. Erasmus went missing from her farm house last Saturday. A concerned neighbour went to her house later after her concerned children could not get hold of Erasmus on her cell phone. Police and community members launched an extensive search for Erasmus.

As far as it is known, no arrests have been made in connection with both these murders.

OFM News