A 56-year-old farmer was killed and his wife seriously wounded on Sunday when four burglars opened fire on them on their farm Mooitoekoms near Viljoenskroon, Northern Free State police said.
Captain Rosa Benade said in a statement released on Tuesday that the incident was only reported to the police on Monday when Andre and Nelia Pienaar’s neighbours became suspicious.
Mrs Pienaar was supposed to accompany them to the nearby town of Bothaville, and when she did not show up they contacted the police.
Benade said the Pienaar couple apparently arrived home around 5pm on Sunday afternoon after visiting friends. When Mr Pienaar entered the house, the burglars, who were waiting for him, opened fire and wounded him several times. Pienaar managed to get out of the house, but was hit again. He collapsed and died near his vehicle.
Mrs Pienaar was also seriously wounded. She is being treated at the Boitumelo Hospital in Kroonstad.
The attackers fled with several household appliances and firearms in the couple’s bakkie.
Northern Free State police commissioner Immanuel Molale visited the scene on Tuesday. He appealed to farmers and their workers in the area to be very careful and vigilant and to report suspicious people on their farms. – Sapa