KZN Premier Zikalala: ‘Farm murders remain a serious concern’

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala has reacted to the Normadien farm killing, calling on the South African Police Service (SAPS) to work around the clock to bring the culprits to book. 

Glen and Vida Rafferty were shot dead on their farm on Saturday, 29 August 2020. 

It is believed the couple was accosted by armed criminals upon arrival from a visit with friends that evening and were shot dead. 

Zikalala has condemned the killing, describing it as senseless. 

Zikalala: ‘Farming killings go against Ubuntu’ 

“Farm killings remain a serious concern in the province. We condemn this murder of the farming couple in the strongest terms possible”, he said. 

“The ongoing killing of farmers goes against the spirit of Ubuntu. It is an indictment on the significant contribution made by the farming community in the upliftment of our rural people,” Zikalala further added. 

The premier has also called on people from the province to stand up against the killing of farmers and to protect farmers from criminal elements. 

According to the deceased’s nephew, none of their valuable items were taken, including keys to a safe and cash which was still on their person. The suspects are said to have fled the scene with the couple’s vehicle before later abandoning it. 

The couple’s brutal murder has rocked the Normadien community, including the couple’s friends and family who have described them as a pillar, as well as the farming fraternity. 

The police in the province have said investigations into the murders are still underway and no arrests have been made yet. 

Mthwalume Killings 

Meanwhile Zikalala has visited the families of the five women who were found murdered in Mthwalume, on the KZN South Coast. 

In a case that has also shocked the country, the premier intends meeting with the relevant stakeholders in the area, including the Community Policing Forum, community, and religious and traditional leaders to come up with a comprehensive plan to deal with the scourge of gender-based violence (GBV). 

The women’s bodies were found in a sugar cane field – the first one being discovered as early as March 2020, while the most recent was the end of August 2020. 

This sparked fear of a serial killer being on the loose in the area. Two men were subsequently arrested, however one of them is alleged to have committed suicide inside a police holding cell. This put a spanner in the works for the case as the man was considered the main suspect. 

Police were forced to drop charges against the other suspect.