Attackers Allegedly Murder Delmas Farmer, 76, Restrain His Wife in Mpumalanga, SA in Disbelief: "Depressing"

• A farmer was allegedly attacked and killed at his Welgelvoden farm in Delmas after agreeing to sell animal feed to a group of men
• The suspects also entered the home to ransack it and found the farmer's wife, whom they subsequently restrained by tying her up
• Citizens from all walks of life were vocal in slamming the callous way he suspects allegedly killed the elderly man on social media

DELMAS - An elderly farmer was brutally murdered after reluctantly opening his farmhouse to a group of men on Sunday, rocking the community of Welgelvoden in Mpumalanga.

Gustav Rappard, 76, had agreed to sell animal feed to the unknown assailants, who attacked and strangled him to death, according to a TimesLIVE report. After the killing, the armed suspects made their way into the house and restrained his wife.

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They ransacked the residence, where they found nothing except the couple's cell phones. Mpumalanga police have embarked on a search for at least six suspects, The Citizen reported.

"[The attack comes after] the deceased's wife alerted him to the presence of the group, who claimed they were interested in buying grass bales. He explained he couldn't help them since it was a Sunday," said provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala.

Immediate change of heart

Briefly News understands that Rappard returned to his house, and after having second thoughts, headed back to assist the would-be killers. They entered and surprised the unsuspecting farmer by wielding their weapons.

Mohlala said they strangled him to death and then fled the scene. Rappard's body was later discovered in a barn.

"We aim to hunt down and bring the suspects to book in the shortest time possible. Their decision to target defenceless victims should be frowned upon," said provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Daphney Manamela.

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Locals slam murder online

Online, South Africans expressed their shock and dismay over the murder, with many social media users lamenting the senseless attack. Others decried the reportedly high crime rate in the country.

@Phalo Mjikwa wrote:

"This is so depressing. The goodness and human nature of this soul was abused and used against him. I feel so sad and helpless."

@Lucy Cockrane said:

"This is really sad and inhumane and when these people are caught there should be severely punished, the crime rate in our country is really out of control."

@Max Zila Mkhonto Khosi added:

"Farmers are employing foreign nationals and those are the people who must be responsible for the crime."

Cattle farmer, 70, killed in KZN, SA berates senseless slaying

Elsewhere, Briefly News previously reported that South Africans recoiled in horror following the discovery of an elderly cattle farmer who was beaten and stabbed to death in the garden of his Lions River home outside Howick in the inland area of KwaZulu-Natal on Monday, 25 January.

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Hedley Brown was found tied up outside at the Misty View Farm by a worker and thought to have been murdered over the weekend, News24 reported. According to Midlands EMS's Roland Roberston, advanced life support paramedics responded to the alleged farm attack.

"When paramedics arrived, he was found tied up in the garden at the residence and declared dead at the scene shortly afterwards. Local law enforcement also attended the scene. The precise cause of death will be determined by police during their investigation," said Roberston.

Source: Briefly News