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MEC of Economic Development Environment Agriculture and Rural Development Lebogang Maile, has on behalf of Premier David Makhura and Gauteng Provincial Government as a whole expressed words of comfort and condolences to the family of a 32-year old farmworker that was shot and killed by a farm over the weekend in Tarlton, outside Krugersdorp, Gauteng province.

“These latest spate of killings of farm workers are not only worrying but concerning. They seek not only to undermine the reconciliation project, but our efforts of building a non-racial country that truly belongs to all, both Black and White. Furthermore, these killings represent an ugly picture of racialised violence often perpetuated or directed at Black farm workers in the hands of White farm owners”, said MEC Lebogang Maile.

MEC Maile has lauded the SA Police Services (SAPS) for acting swiftly and apprehending the alleged suspect.

“We applaud the police for acting quickly and there is person that has a right to take someone’s life, irrespective of the circumstances. We hope the law will take it cause and a harsh sentence will be meted against the alleged perpetrator”, continued MEC Maile.

It is suspected that the farmworker (name withheld until his next of kins are informed) was gruesomely killed by his employer at the aforementioned farm on Saturday 06 January 2018. The circumstances relating to the dastardly killing of the worker are being investigated by the relevant law enforcement agencies. But according to close witnesses or privy to details of this heinous deed allege that the farm owner killed the worker in full view of the deceased family, purely for using the tractor to go home during lunch hours to get food at home. Accordingly, this infuriated the farm owner and made flimsy claims that the worker was stealing the tractor.

The situation in the area remains tense and racial tensions are on high alert. The ANC-led Provincial Government has called for calm and urged the community to exercise maximum discipline, and allow law enforcement agencies to conclude it business without any undue pressure emanating from reckless behaviour or community taking the law to its own hands.

“Farm killings have no place in our nascent democracy given our shameful Apartheid past. It will be an eye sore if these recent killings are a conscious retaliation to the ANC’s 54th National Conference outcome in relation to the “expropriation of land without compensation”, warned MEC Maile.

A senior delegation from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD) will be dispatched by MEC Maile to provide necessary support to the grieving family and assess whether a need exist for the Provincial Government secures a dignified send-off for the departed.

The alleged perpetrator of this cold-blooded murder of a worker will be appearing at Krugersdorp Magistrate Court, this morning for bail hearing and application.

Issued by Gauteng Provincial Government