EFF descends on Senekal as Horner’s murder accused appear in court

Sekola Matlaletsa and Sekwetje Mahlamba are due back in the dock in the same court that was the scene of violence last week when local farmers stormed the building and set fire to a police van.

SENEKAL - The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) on Friday morning descended on Senekal in the Free State on where the two men accused of killing farmer, Brendin Horner will appear in court.

Sekola Matlaletsa and Sekwetje Mahlamba are due back in the dock in the same court that was the scene of violence last week when local farmers stormed the building and set fire to a police van.

The pair were arrested after the 21-year-old farm manager's body was found hanging from a poll in Paul Roux.

EFF leader Julius Malema mobilised his followers, saying they were in Senekal to protect democracy and the Constitution in the wake of the violence.

Senekal was painted red with members of the EFF dominating the space just outside court.

The group was confined to a certain part of the road and police barricaded parts of the town with barbed wire.

Security was also tightened with several roadblocks.

At the same time, local farmers and AfriForum also promised to be present but the space was dominated by the red berets.

EFF party leaders were expected to brief their suppporters sometime on Friday morning.

The family of one of the men accused of killing Horner told Eyewitness News they felt ostracised and humiliated by their community after the arrest.

“We have been treated very badly, even by the children. Earlier on, someone asked me to lend my shoes to them as a lucky charm because he does not steal for a living and has never killed a white person.”

This week, Police Minister Bheki Cele revealed that Matlaletsa had been arrested 16 times before and jailed in connection with four different incidents of stock theft.

EXCLUSIVE: “He’s not a murderer” - family of Senekal suspect

Those who were familiar with his crimes said he’d been terrorising farmers for years and after his latest arrest, his family was bearing the brunt of his alleged actions.

Matlaletsa’s mother-in-law, Maitumeleng Mofokeng, said she struggled to sleep thinking about how her family has been treated since his arrest.

Mofokeng is adamant her son in law did not kill Horner.

While she wanted the law to take its course, she said she was certain Matlaletsa was sleeping on the night of Horner’s attack.

The 44-year-old is expected to appear in the Senekal Magistrates Court on Friday alongside his co-accused Mahlamba.

One of the farmers who destroyed court property and torched a police van, Andre Pienaar, who was charged with malicious damage to property, attempted murder and public violence, was denied bail on Tuesday.

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