Bheki Cele, Ayanda Dlodlo to visit Brendin Horner’s family

Minister of Police Bheki Cele. Picture: Sibonelo Ngcobo/African News Agency (ANA) Archives

Minister of Police Bheki Cele. Picture: Sibonelo Ngcobo/African News Agency (ANA) Archives

Published Oct 13, 2020

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Police Minister Bheki Cele and State Security Minister Ayanda Dlodlo are expected to visit Brendin Horner's family on Tuesday. The Free State farm manager was murdered on October 1.

The ministers will also meet farming organisations in the Senekal area.

Horner, 21, was found dead after being stabbed and tied to a pole.

Two suspects had been arrested for suspected links to Horner's murder. When they appeared in court last week, violence erupted in Senekal as farmers demanded justice.

Farmers went on a rampage and destroyed police property, including setting an SAPS vehicle on fire. The farmers demanded the two men be released so they could punish them for Horner's murder.

The farmers’ actions have been widely condemned.

A 52-year-old man was arrested soon after the incident and was charged with attempted murder, incitement of violence and malicious damage to property.

His first appearance was last week. He is expected back in court on Tuesday morning. He has applied for bail, but during his application it was revealed he had been arrested several times before.

The man, who allegedly told protesting farmers to enter a police station, is accused of inciting violence.

President Cyril Ramaphosa mentioned Horner in his weekly newsletter.

He said the 21-year-old's death should shock everyone; his killing should anger and upset every one of us.

"No matter who we are, no matter what community we live in, no matter our race, creed or language, we should be as deeply affected by the death of Brendin Horner as we are by the many other South Africans who die violent deaths each year.

"Just as we mourn the loss of his life, we also mourn the deaths of Mogamad Cloete, Tawqeer Essop and André Bennett, three young men who were shot in a car in Delft in the Western Cape in the same week," Ramaphosa said.

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Crime and courts