‘Enough is enough’: Hundreds gather to demand justice for Brendin Horner

06 October 2020 - 11:21 By iavan pijoos
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Community members have gathered in their numbers in Senekal in the Free State to demand justice for Brendin Horner.
Community members have gathered in their numbers in Senekal in the Free State to demand justice for Brendin Horner.
Image: Supplied

Agricultural leaders and community members from Senekal and surrounding areas in the Free State have gathered in their numbers ahead of the court case of the two men linked to the murder of farm manager Brendin Horner.

The two men, suspected to be stock thieves, are expected to appear in the Senekal magistrate’s court on Tuesday morning.

Senekal detectives arrested the men, aged 34 and 43, on Saturday at Fateng tse Ntho in Paul Roux.

Horner, 21, worked for Bloukruin Boerdery, which is owned by the Scheepers family. His body was found on Friday tied to a pole in an open space on the De Rots farm where he worked as a manager.

Scores of community members clad in "Stop Farm Murders" T-shirts gathered in the Free State town on Tuesday morning.

The large group were carrying placards that read “Remember their names” and “Enough is enough”.

Chairperson of the Southern African Agri Initiative (Saai) Theo de Jager, who also attended the protest outside the court on Tuesday, described Horner's murder as “senseless and cruel”.

De Jager said the murder made headlines even in Europe and North America.


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Farm manager Brendin Horner's body was found tied to a farm gate after he was killed by unknown attackers on October 2 2020. The death has outraged agricultural leaders and community members from Senekal and surrounding areas who demanded justice.

“SA’s agricultural community has never been as frustrated and disappointed with the state as they are now. Feelings among farmers are running high,” he said.

“For the sake of rural stability, the ANC must take their points of view and their approach to farm murders into urgent reconsideration.”

Police have promised to formalise the establishment of national and local joint safety command centres to address crime in rural areas.

This follows a meeting between the police, Agri-SA, TLU SA and AfriForum in Pretoria on Monday.

National police commissioner Gen Khehla Sitole said interventions were under discussion for hotspot areas, to ensure an “effective proactive approach”.

TimesLIVE


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