Cops hunt couple's torturers
2006-04-13 14:22
Johannesburg - Police were following up leads on Thursday in connection with an elderly couple whose feet were burnt in scalding water during a robbery at their game farm near Vryheid.
Detective-Inspector GM Zondo said Koos van Wyk, 62, and his wife, Martha, 56, were still being treated in hospital.
They were overpowered at their Mgobhozi game farm in Gluckstadt in KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday night.
Mrs Van Wyk was watching television while her husband was having a bath.
Zondo said the woman heard the robbers breaking in and ran to her bedroom but was unable to lock the door in time.
Five armed men, demanding money, took her to her husband in the bathroom and burnt their feet.
He said this was probably done to prevent them from going for help.
The robbers stole a number of items, including cash, firearms, sewing machines and Mrs Van Wyk's diamond ring, and made their getaway in the couple's car.
Zondo denied media reports that the soles of Mr Van Wyk's feet were cut off before they were forced into the boiling water.
Koos Marais, who is head of security at the province's agricultural union Kwanalu, condemned the brutality of the attack.
"We understand that there is poverty, but we do not understand the extreme violence that goes with (crime). We cannot accept the horrific nature of this attack," he said.
As far as he understood, the farm wasn't isolated. He was concerned that there had been no arrests yet.
Marais said there had been farm attacks in the area, but they did not occur on a frequent basis.
- SAPA