Bloemfontein – One Free State farmer was shot dead and another wounded in separate attacks in the past 24 hours, Free State Agriculture said on Friday.
■ The first farmer was killed in a armed attack at his house in Palmietkuil near Odendaalsrus on Thursday night, spokesperson Alani Janeke said.
"According to initial information communicated to the Free State Agriculture Safety Desk, the power went out in the house and Jan Barnard went outside to switch on the generator. He was attacked by four black killers and shot," Janeke said.
Barnard's wife heard the shot and went outside to check what was happening. She was forced into the house by the attackers who demanded cash from her.
The attackers then shot her in the hip.
It was unclear if they fled with any of the couple's possessions.
The couple was found on Friday morning when workers arrived on the farm. Barnard's wife is in a critical condition in hospital.
Shot him behind the ear
■ On Friday morning, another Afrikaner farmer was shot in the head when he walked into a shop that was being robbed in Fouriesburg.
"Pieter Swanepoel stopped at a shop... while two men were allegedly robbing it at gunpoint. The lady working in the shop was held by the two men, but they shifted their target towards Swanepoel when he stopped at the shop," said Free State Agriculture safety co-ordinator Josef van Eeden.
The robbers allegedly emptied Swanepoel's shirt and trouser pockets and then shot him behind the ear.
They fled in his bakkie.
The local safety network was informed and members traced and followed the bakkie.
"The suspects rolled the vehicle and fled into the mountains. Farmers, farm workers and police worked together to search through the mountainous terrain and found the suspects," said Van Eeden.
Two men have been arrested. They will appear in court soon.
Swanepoel was admitted to hospital. His condition was not immediately clear.
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