KwaZulu-Natal Midlands police said on Monday evening there had been no arrests or developments following the murder of a couple and the kidnapping of their 13-year-old son by gunmen in Wartburg, New Hanover, during the early hours of Saturday morning.
Piet Matthee, MP and NNP leader in the NCOP, said on Monday: ”We are shocked and disgusted by the callous and brutal murder…”
He called on police to hunt down the murderers.
Earlier Captain Joshua Gwala said the owner of Aussicht Farm, 59-year-old Robin Dent, was confronted by several armed intruders after investigating a noise inside his house around 3.30am
”Dent’s wife Allison, 59, and their son, Nicholas joined him (Robin). An altercation ensued with the intruders and… in the process, Robin and Allison were shot and fatally wounded.
”While holding Nicholas at gunpoint, the suspects ransacked the house. They removed firearms, a television set, a video cassette recorder and various other household appliances. It is unknown at this stage if the suspects took any money.”
He said the attackers then loaded the stolen items into Dent’s vehicle, a red Toyota LDV, and ordered Nicholas to drive the vehicle.
”Nicholas was instructed to stop the vehicle in an isolated spot in the sugarcane field near Trust Feed.”
The men off-loaded the stolen items and placed them into a minibus vehicle.
”Nicholas was told to run away from the scene,” Gwala said.
He made his way to a nearby farm and reported the incident.
Police discovered the family’s vehicle abandoned in a sugarcane field.
”A number of R4 expended cartridges were found at the murder scene inside the house,” Gwala said.
He said police established that the robbers gained entry into the house by forcing open the lounge window.
Anyone with information has been asked to contact the
Pietermaritzburg murder and robbery unit on 033-845-8502 or Crime Stop on 08600-10111. – Sapa