Chaos breaks out in Senekal as farmers seek justice for senseless killings

The town of Senekal in the Free State broke erupted into chaos over the past few days, and led to protestors torching a police vehicle and storming the holding cells of the town’s Magistrate’s court on Tuesday October 6.

Farmers in the area are looking for accountability and revenge for the brutal murder of local farm manager Brendin Horner (21).

Horner’s body was discovered hanging from a pole in the Paul Roux area on Friday, October 2. Shortly thereafter, two suspects were arrested in connection with the incident – Sekwetje Mahlamba (32) and Sekola Matlaletsa (44).

Emotions ran high when the two suspects appeared in court, and the situation quickly escalated when enraged farmer protestors took matters into their own hands and flipped a police vehicle parked outside the Senekal Magistrate’s Court. The police vehicle was also set alight. The farmers attempted to attack the suspects, but were thwarted by police.

Farmers who demonstrated outside the Senekal magistrates court the Free State in support of the farm manager’s family who was murdered on Friday allegedly set this police vehicle on fire. Video 1 pic.twitter.com/CQmn4fPnMn

— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) October 6, 2020

Minister of Police Bheki Cele has condemned the violent actions of the farmers, saying he was “shocked and disgusted” by their behaviour.

“While we all condemn the gruesome killing of this young man in Paul Roux, absolutely no one has the right to take the law into their own hands – no matter what the situation is. This type of lawlessness can’t be justified nor taken lightly,” Cele said. “There is no logic when these protesters burn a police van, which is the same resource that is meant to assist them. It is also baffling why the anger of this community is being directed towards the police, when arrests have been made by the police and the suspects are before the courts.”