'It's such a brutal story'
2007-12-07 07:20
Mookgopong - Blood-spattered carpets and pillows, the twisted frame of a pair of spectacles and glass from a shattered watch.
These were the signs of a vicious attack at the home of Theuns Janse van Rensburg, 72, and his wife, Hettie, 70, in Mookgopong on Sunday night.
Four of Hettie's fingers were hacked off and she hid in the main bedroom's en-suite bathroom while one of the attackers lay next to her bleeding husband on their bed, watching television.
Theuns had been so badly assaulted with a panga that he had lost consciousness.
Their son, Theuns, who also lives in the town, walked Beeld's reporter through the house and said: "It's such a brutal story. It looked as if an ox had been slaughtered in the bathroom."
Two arrested for break-in
The hands of his father's broken wristwatch indicated that the attack must have happened about 19:00.
They plundered the house and left only about 04:00.
Two illegal Zimbabwean immigrants were arrested on Tuesday night when they tried to break into a house in the same street, just seven houses away from the Janse van Rensburgs' home.
The two men were employed by Janse van Rensburg in his gardening service.
The resident who arrested them found Janse van Rensburg's video machine, Afrikaans CDs and a knife on one of the men.
The man apparently also had Hettie's handbag with her identity book on him. Other household goods, including food, were allegedly found on the men.
The men have been held in the local police cells since their arrest.
They were scheduled to appear in court on charges of housebreaking and attempted murder, among other things, on Thursday.
But police said they were still questioning the men and were due to appear in court on Friday.
About 30 people from the town and farmers from the surrounding area gathered at the court early on Thursday wanting to see what the suspects looked like.
Cops want reinforcements
Beeld heard that the police investigating team did not want to allow the two suspects to appear before they had arranged for reinforcements "to control" people at the court.
Upset residents said it appeared as if police wanted to protect the suspects from them.
"What protection did Hettie have when they cut her fingers off?" asked one farmer.