Reverend's son confesses to father's axe murder

The son of a Free State reverend has confessed to killing his father.

Martin Brits, 28, made a confession before a Fouriesburg magistrate on Tuesday, the Volksblad newspaper reports.

Brits, 28, and Elliot Mhlambi, 41, stand accused of killing Brits' father, Reverend Willem Brits, 60, of the Dutch Reformed Church Kerkenberg, and his future son-in-law, Gerhard Vermeulen, 25.

The reverend was attacked with an axe and Vermeulen was shot dead on the evening of Thursday, November 8. His wife Dorothea, 59, was also attacked with an axe. The men's case was postponed to November 19.

Bloemfontein Medi-Clinic spokeswoman Amanda Appelgryn told the daily the woman was still in a critical condition.

The two men were earlier both in the Frankfort prison -- Mlhambi for hijacking and Brits, who was released on parole last year, for theft.

A memorial service would be held at the Kerkenberg Dutch Reformed Church in Harrismith on Friday at 11am.