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Five farmers from Parys in the Free State will be sentenced in August following their conviction for an assault case dating back to 2016 where two farm workers died.
Gert van der Westhuizen and Anton Loggenberg, both 53, were found guilty on one count of common assault and one count of assault with the intent to cause grievously bodily harm.
According to evidence presented in court, the two farm workers, 35-year-old Simon Tjixa and the 29-year-old Simon Jubeba went to the residence of Loedie van der Westhuizen on 6 January 2016, to claim their salaries as they alleged that he did not pay them for November 2015.
A confrontation ensued when they reached Van der Westhuizen's residence at Kocksrust farm in Parys and he alerted a security company of an attack on his farm.
As a result, neighbouring farmers converged at the scene where they tracked down and assaulted the two workers.
The 22-year-old Lodewikus van der Westhuizen was convicted on two counts of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and one count of defeating the ends of justice while the 23-year-old Cornelius Loggenberg and the 26-year-old Gert van Vuuren were each found guilty on one count of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
photo: Boeta van der Westuizen, Johan Cilliers senior, his son Johan jr. and Anton Loggenberg during a court appearance in 2016. (OFM News)
The sixth accused, 49-year-old Hendrik Prinsloo, who was a police officer at the time of the incident, was acquitted on all counts.
Tjixa was admitted at Parys Provincial Hospital where he died a day later. Jubeba was transported to the Pelonomi Hospital in Bloemfontein where he was declared dead on arrival.
The farmers will be sentenced on the 24th of August.
