Cape Town - More than 18 months after the decomposing remains of a farmworker were found in the Lutzville district, a farmer has appeared in the local magistrate’s court.
Martin Visser, 42, has been charged with murder and assault with the intention to cause grievous bodily harm over the death of Adam Pieterse, 32.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority’s Eric Ntabazalila, Pieterse and Visser were known to each other. “The deceased once laid a case of assault with intention to cause grievous bodily harm against the accused, but withdrew it,” said Ntabazalila.
Lutzville community activist Billy Claasen said: “The (Lutzville) police were very unhelpful and the station commander dropped the phone in my ear when I called him to check on the progress of the investigation. He didn’t want to look into the matter.”
Pieterse was a migrant from Prieska and worked seasonally in the Lutzville district.
Claasen said he made contact with the police’s provincial office and former acting deputy provincial commissioner Jeremy Vearey, who assigned a team of detectives to the case.
Chief negotiator for the Rural, Agriculture and Allied Workers Union (Raawu) Nosey Pieterse said: “Seemingly there’s no progress with investigations because these are black lives. Black life was cheap during the days of apartheid and it remains cheap today.”
Visser was remanded in custody and his case was postponed to October 20.
Cape Times