Durban - A 62-year-old Hluhluwe farmer was shot dead while his wife and dog were struck with an unknown object to the head, by a group of armed men.
The farmer’s workers were also tied up in Tuesday night’s incident.
They were forced to watch hopelessly as men wielding AK-47 machine guns and pistols raided Mashonisa Farm, a small-scale vegetable farm, and forced open a safe before escaping with money and the farmer’s bakkie.
Terrence Rizzato was shot in the chest by the men who had allegedly been reported to the police last week by the farmer, after they had been milling around his small shop on his farm.
KwaZulu-Natal Agricultural Union member, Nap Louw, said Rizzato was shot from outside his home.
“They shot him through the security door and hit his wife over the head. There were five or six carrying AK-47s and guns.”
Louw said the attackers were known to the family and pictures of them had been sent to the police before the attack was carried out.
Louw said there was a local Farmwatch in the area, but when they heard of the incident more than 30 minutes had passed because the wife had to run to neighbours for help.
“When we called (the police) they were not picking up and eventually they told us they were busy with prisoners,” he said.
Police spokesman, Colonel Jay Naicker, said: “These are serious allegations and will be investigated.”
KZN Community Safety and Liaison MEC, Willies Mchunu, condemned the “despicable attack”.
He called on the public to come forward with information.
Daily News