Mooi River – KwaZulu-Natal police in are investigating the province’s second farm attack in 24 hours, after a woman was attacked on Tuesday night.
Police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said Mooi River police had been patrolling when they received a call about a 56-year-old woman who had been attacked at her home.
“The police found her with injuries on the body, head and legs and was taken to hospital for medical attention. The victim alleged that she was attacked with a bush knife by unknown people,” Mbele said.
She said the motive of the attack was unknown.
Mbele also said it was not known if anything was stolen because the victim was in a critical condition.
DA KZN spokesperson on Agriculture and Rural Development Martin Meyer said: “There can be no doubt that crime in KZN’s rural areas is once again on the rise. While the pattern of increased crime in such regions ahead of the holiday season is well-known, it seems that both the SAPS and the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development have been caught completely unawares. This is evidenced by their failure to put proactive measures in place to deal with this matter.”
“We also call on the SAPS to increase its capacity within our rural areas, particularly those identified as hotspots, now and during the holiday season. This must include working closely with security companies, farmers, and farm workers to prevent and fight the scourge of rural crime.”
Meyer called on the SAPS to assign a specialised task force to investigate rural crime, whether it be alleged farm attacks or alleged attacks on farm workers.
The first attack was on Monday night, when a family living on a farm near Estcourt, in KZN’s uThukela district, was robbed during load shedding.
Mbele said the complainant alleged that she heard dogs barking outside her home around 8.20pm on Monday night.
When she investigated, she was accosted by two unknown suspects, who held her at gunpoint and robbed her of various items before fleeing on foot.
On Tuesday DA uThukela constituency head Alf Lees condemned the incident.
According to Lees, it was John, Malcom and Doreen Moor who were attacked, handcuffed and locked in a room by five armed men on their farm, Moor Park.
“The attackers assaulted Malcom, who had just been in intensive care in hospital. Family items including jewellery and guns were stolen during the attack,” Lees said.
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