Utrecht family investigated

2003-07-10 16:18

Johannesburg - A family in the Utrecht area in northern KwaZulu-Natal, who have been repeatedly linked to incidents of violence on their farm, are facing new allegations police said on Thursday.

Police spokesperson Superintendent Buhle Ngidi said Johan Landman, son of Theodore Landman who has been investigated by the police and prosecuting authorities over his treatment of black people on his farm, was being investigated for culpable homicide.

Johan Landman had not yet been arrested as investigations regarding a motor vehicle accident which took place on Monday were incomplete.

Farm labourer Matshitshi Nkosi, 48, was killed when Johan Landman allegedly knocked him over on the Wakkerstroom public road about 16:00, Ngidi said. Nkosi leaves a wife and family.

Ngidi said Nkosi lived on the Landman family farm, on which about four closely-related branches of the family lived. He did not know if Nkosi was employed on the farm.

He said Johan Landman claimed he inadvertently hit Nkosi, who was on a bicycle, when he swerved to avoid a herd of cattle on the road.

"He has not been charged. We have only registered a culpable homicide case and we are investigating," Ngidi said.

Twenty cases

Nkosi's body is to be sent to Durban for a post-mortem to be conducted, and the docket would be sent to the public prosecutor's office in Newcastle for a decision.

All cases involving the Landman family - Ngidi said there were "about 20 cases, including counter-charges" - are now being investigated by the Independent Complaints Directorate.

This was because the community had complained about the Utrecht police's handling of investigations regarding the family.

In June, police spokesperson Director Bala Naidoo said charges laid against Landman since 1995 had been referred to the provincial Directorate of Public Prosecutions and were declined. No reason was given.

"I don't know why they were declined. These cases were investigated, and were either declined or pending...," Naidoo said.

Landman allegedly inflicted a reign of terror on the people who live and work on his Utrecht farm since 1995 without any legal action taken against him until June.

Landman is alleged to have been responsible for the deaths of Mgodi Nkosi, 33, and Sam Ndlovu, 36. The two are relatives, and died after Landman allegedly assaulted them.

He's also alleged to have assaulted Philemon Nkosi, 62, who now claims to limp.

- SAPA