Pietermaritzburg - Two Durban men were jailed for life, plus 23 years, by the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Friday for the murder of an Ixopo farmer.
Nkosinathi Mngadi, 29, and Sifiso Ngubane, 23, were found guilty of shooting and killing 61-year-old Peter Hackland and robbing and assaulting his daughter Louise Hartwig and secretary Margaret Fennel on June 13, 2013.
Judge Portia Poyo-Dlwati praised Hartwig for trying to save her father on several occasions on the day of the attack.
When Mngadi and Ngubane first attacked her father, Hartwig moved towards them ignoring a warning that they had a gun.
Ngubane grabbed her by the neck and shirt and demanded money.
Fennell was also grabbed and dragged into the house where the two women were pushed to the floor.
Ngubane pepper-sprayed Fennell and also tried to spray Hartwig but she looked away.
Poyo-Dlwati said the seriousness of the attack and the interest of society outweighed any mitigating circumstances which were raised by the defence.
She said she hoped that the sentences would deter any like-minded criminals and make them desist and she hoped that they would be rehabilitated in prison and emerge better citizens.
The aftermath of the invasion and the attacks on the family had been huge.
About 30 of Hackland's permanent workers and 40 temporary harvesters and planters have lost their jobs and their families have lost their support.
Hackland's wife has left the farm as well as her teaching post in Ixopo and moved to Pietermaritzburg.
Sapa