Durban - A Newcastle cattle farmer was shot dead by thieves robbing his house on Sunday evening as he opened the front gate to his home.
Timothy Green, 44, who farmed near Chelmsford Dam, had just returned from visiting his brother, Peter, who lived about 2km away, when the attack happened.
As he approached his property, he noticed that his other bakkie had been moved and was parked at the front gate. When he heard gunshots, he tried to hide under his bakkie and use his cellphone to call for help. He was then shot in the head and legs, and died at the scene.
Anthony Green, Timothy’s other brother, said the family was “deeply traumatised” and had difficulty coming to terms with his “death”. Timothy had lived alone following his divorce.
“When he realised he was under attack, he called Marlize Strydom, a colleague and friend, and asked her to call the police… that was the last call he made,” Anthony said.
Strydom called the Dannhauser police station, but was told that no vehicles were available. Newcastle police arrived an hour later.
“He was born and bred in this area… no words begin to describe how we feel,” Anthony said.
DVD players, CDs, DVDs and other stolen valuables were found scattered in the garden. Other stolen equipment was found loaded in the abandoned bakkie.
Koos Marais, KZN Agricultural Union’s head of security, said that it was the “fifth commercial farming murder in the province this year”.
Last month, a Wartburg farm manager was killed while fetching labourers. In May, Ixopo farmer Peter Hackland, 61, was killed, allegedly by two men pretending to be job seekers.
“We are concerned about the effect this will have. These murders mean people will lose jobs. We call on police to leave no stone unturned in finding the people who did this,” Marais said.
Police spokesman Vincent Mdunge said that a case of murder had been opened.
No arrests had been made.
The Mercury