Durban: A man who presented himself to the police following a shooting in Muden outside Greytown last Sunday has been granted bail.
This week, the victim's family said they could not understand how the court had arrived at this decision.
“How does a person, who handed himself over to the police and for such a brutal crime, be granted bail?” said Pranesh Haripersaad.
His dad, Rajithkumar Ajay Haripersaad, 58, a sugar cane farmer and the owner of Graceland Farm, was shot in the neck. He was allegedly trying to intervene in a dispute between one of his workers and another man who entered his farm. The father of three died at the scene.
According to the police at the time, a man handed himself over on the same day.
Ungakhohlwa Alson Zulu, 76, also of Muden, appeared in the Greytown Magistrate’s Court last week. He was released on R1 000 bail. The case was adjourned to later this month.
“What hurts, even more, is that my dad was unarmed. He did not have a firearm, a knife, or even a stick. Why shoot him?”
Haripersaad, who lives in Durban, said he was told that stray cattle were grazing on his father’s farm. He said his dad had then sent his workers to impound the cattle.
“This often happens when stray cattle enter the farm. My dad had received a call that there were stray cattle on the far end of the property. He sent a few workers to go there to try and herd the cattle into the lock-up area.
“Normally, some other farmers would take the cattle to the pound, but my dad would keep it for a few days until the owners collected them. That was what a good heart he had, so the farmers would not have to pay the high impound fees."
Haripersaad said the workers went ahead to gather the cattle, and his father followed in his bakkie.
“As he was nearing them, he could hear some commotion, so he got out of the vehicle and walked a few metres. That is when he saw this man, who is known to us. He lives in the area, but he is not a cattle farmer. He was armed and threatening one of the workers.
“According to the worker, my dad approached and asked this man what was he doing on the property and why he was threatening his employee. He said the man got aggressive. My dad asked him again what he wanted on the farm and why he had a gun. That is when he told my dad, ‘I will shoot you’. My dad asked him again what he was doing and that was when my dad was shot."
Haripersaad said his father's workers fled into the bush and one of them called his (Pranesh's) mother.
“After the man drove off, the workers ran back to my dad and a few moments later, my dad took his last breath. When my mom arrived, she saw my dad had a gunshot wound to the centre of his neck."
Haripersaad said after finding out the accused was granted bail, his family felt disappointed with the justice system.
“The loss of life is so cheap. How is it so easy to get bail for such a brutal crime?”
He said his dad was a vegetable and sugar cane farmer for many years until he decided to start growing sugar cane full time five years ago.
"My dad was also one of the major suppliers of sugar. Apart from this, he mentored upcoming farmers and helped others with seeds. He employed about 60 workers, which meant providing for 60 families. What happens to them now? While my mom is a strong woman and can run the farm, she is also fearful for her life."
Haripersaad said his dad did not get a chance to meet his newborn grandson.
“My son was born last month and my dad was supposed to meet him this week. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, he said he would see our baby when he was at least a month old. But he never got the chance.
“Being the only son, and knowing my son will carry the surname, my dad was excited. But my child will never get the joy of spending time with his grandfather and learning from him.
“All we want is justice to prevail now. We need the law to be enforced and for corruption to stop. My father was a wonderful person. We are also grateful to other farmers for all their support during this difficult time,” he said.
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