Monday, November 2nd, 2026
Farmer subjected to brutal torture after being shot
2 arrested for horror farm attack
CRIME SCENE: Syferfontein Farm, North West Province: The police have arrested two suspects for the brutal attack on farmer Donovan Marx.
The Provincial Police Commissioner of the North West Province, Lieutenant General Arthur Peter Adams, has made the announcement in Potchefstroom and said police would not rest until all the suspects were behind bars..
Marx (50) was attacked on Wednesday morning, 28 October 2026, between 08:00 and 09:00 on Syferfontein, a cattle farm located between Potchefstroom and Ventersdorp.
Three balaclava-clad suspects first attacked a farmworker, who they threatened with weapons and tied up. When Marx arrived at the property in his bakkie, he was shot in the back.
According to the South African Police Service (SAPS) the attackers dragged Marx into the house where they subjected him to horrific torture. He was stabbed in the leg, threatened with castration, and according to General Adams both of his earlobes were cut off.
The attackers stole three firearms from Marx’s gun safe and fled the scene in his red Isuzu single-cab bakkie.
The farmworker eventually managed to free himself and raised the alarm. He was not injured in the attack.
Marx’s abandoned Isuzu bakkie has been found abandoned in the Ikageng area and processed for DNA evidence.
Marx is still recovering in hospital.
Eks-werker begrawe boer se lyk in vlak graf
Plaas moordenaars gebêre
UIT DIE HOF: ‘n Voormalige plaaswerker en ‘n medepligtige is tot lewenslange gevangenisstraf gevonnis vir die moord en roof van ‘n boer in Keimoes in die Noord-Kaap provinsie.
Die 71-jarige Hugo van Sittert is in Februarie 2024 op sy plaas vermoor.
Getuienis voor die hof het aan die lig gebring dat Van Sittert se voormalige werknemer, die 25-jarige Laurenzo Matthys, en sy 58-jarige medepligtige, Henry Beukes, die oorledene van sy voertuig, kontant, kruideniersware en ‘n .22-jaggeweer beroof het voordat hulle hom vermoor het.
Op 4 Februarie 2024 het twee wakker polisiebeamptes, adjudant-offisiere William Mouers en Heinrich Titus, die twee verdagtes teëgekom terwyl hulle in Van Sittert se voertuig gery het.
Die beamptes het ‘n rot geruik toe hulle opmerk dat Van Sittert nie in die voertuig is nie. Hulle het die verdagtes ondervra en is daarna na die plaas toe. Toe hulle daar kom, was niemand tuis nie en die beamptes het vasgestel dat Beukes vroeër op die plaas ‘n skietwond aan sy hand opgedoen het.
Met verdere ondersoek is Van Sittert se vuurwapen in die besit van die verdagtes gevind en en daarna is die gru-ontdekking gemaak toe sy liggaam in ‘n vlak graf naby die plaas gevind word.
Mouers het die ondersoek gelei en ‘n suksesvolle vervolging van albei beskuldigdes verseker. Op Woensdag, 28 Oktober 2026 is die twee tot lewenslange gevangenisstraf vir moord gevonnis en 15 jaar elk vir die besit van ‘n onwettige vuurwapen en roof met verswarende omstandighede.
Die hof het beslis dat albei beskuldigdes nooit vir parool oorweeg moet word nie, weens die gevaar wat hulle vir die samelewing en hulself inhou.
Die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens (SAPD) se bestuur in die Noord-Kaap het die vonnisse verwelkom.
Die ZF Mgcawu-distrikskommissaris, generaal-majoor Monica Sebili, het Mouers geloof vir sy goeie ondersoekwerk. Sebili het sowel Mouers as Titus geprys vir hul waaksaamheid, toewyding en pligsgetrouheid, wat gelei het tot die vinnige arestasie van die misdadigers.
Former farm worker robs and murders employer
Farmer’s killers get life
FROM THE COURTS: A former farm worker and an accomplice have been sentenced to life behind bars for murdering and robbing a farmer in Keimoes in the Northern Cape Province.
The 71-year-old Hugo van Sittert was murdered on his farm in February 2024.
Evidence presented before the court revealed that Van Sittert’s former employee, 25-year-old Laurenzo Matthys, and his 58-year-old accomplice, Henry Beukes, robbed the deceased of his vehicle, cash, groceries and a .22 hunting rifle before murdering him.
On 4 February 2024 two vigilant police officers, Warrant Officers William Mouers and Heinrich Titus, encountered the two suspects travelling in a vehicle belonging to Van Sittert.
The officers became suspicious when they noticed that the vehicle’s owner was not with the occupants. They questioned the suspects and then went to the farm.
On arrival, the officers found the house unoccupied and established that Beukes had sustained a gunshot wound to his hand while at the farm earlier.
Further investigations led to the recovery of the deceased’s firearm in the possession of the suspects. The body of the victim was later discovered in a shallow grave near the farm.
Mouers conducted the investigation and secured a successful prosecution of both accused.
On Wednesday, 28 October 2026 the two were sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, 15 years each for possession of an illegal firearm and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The court ruled that both accused should never be considered for parole, citing the danger they pose to society and themselves.
The South African Police Service Management in the Northern Cape has welcomed the sentences.
The ZF Mgcawu District Commissioner, Major General Monica Sebili, applauded Mouers for his meticulous investigative work.
Sebili praised both Mouers and Titus for their vigilance, dedication and commitment, which led to the swift apprehension of the perpetrators.