'Satan has come to butcher'
2008-02-11 23:02
Marietie Louw-Carstens
Mokopane - "Satan has come to butcher, destroy and steal," said pastor's wife Rheinette Meyer, 57, a day before she herself was murdered in this Limpopo town.
A gardener who worked for independent missionary Pastor Faan Meyer and his wife has been released from custody. He cannot be linked to the murder.
Marnus Meyer, their son, said another two men had been questioned by police.
A friend said that when she saw Rheinette on Friday night, she had "told me, twice, that Satan had come to butcher, destroy and steal in our land".
Rheinette was alone at home on Saturday when she was murdered.
Meyer was busy with missionary work in Burgersfort at the time of the attack.
"My spirit's strong, but my soul is in tatters," said Meyer on Monday.
Praying for their salvation
He and his wife were to have left this week to do missionary work in Malawi.
But, Meyer refused to condemn those who had killed his wife.
"I pray that they may be saved. What happened shows how the devil uses people to do his work."
In his view, the government and the police were no longer able to control or stop the crime wave.
"We'll all have to pray that the church can help restore the situation."
Marnus said his injured mother had hit the panic button at 15:46 on Saturday afternoon.
The armed guards of their security company, Suricat, had responded to it.
He said the security guards rang the front doorbell and when there was no response, they left.
Suricat owner Div de Villiers said they had been waiting for some time for duplicate keys to the Meyers' home, so that they could get access in an emergency.
About 18:00 on Saturday one of the Meyers' daughters, Jana Britz, and her husband, Rudi, had arrived at the house.
They unlocked the door with a spare key. Jana then discovered her mother's body.
Throat was slashed
Marnus said his sister had found their mom next to her bed, on the floor of the main bedroom.
"We suspect she was stabbed the first time while she was in the passage.
"She may have turned around after that to flee, and her throat was slashed from behind."
Superintendent Mohale Ramatseba could not say on Monday night if anyone had been arrested yet.
- Beeld