Kindergarten Teacher Tortured With Hot Plastic In South African Farm Attack
A kindergarten teacher was tortured by four robbers using burning plastic during an attack on a KwaZulu-Natal farm Saturday.
Armand and Doulina Slabbert run a farm in Pongola in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Armand runs the farming side of the business as well as a plant nursery, and Doulina has a kindergarten on the property.
According to a neighbor, four robbers attacked the farm at around 2pm on Saturday. As reported in Afrikaans on Network24, Jess Strumpfter told Die Beeld Monday that the four robbers grabbed Doulina outside and took her into the home where apparently her husband, Armand, was showering.
#SouthAfrica Doulina Slabbert survives #torture with #burning #plastic by 4 #blacks #Pongola http://t.co/vsEOjmHnhx pic.twitter.com/dCto5UAJoH
— AdrianaStuijt (@AdrianaStuijt) March 10, 2015
Armand’s disabled brother was also on the property, and the robbers tied him up and then took Armand and Doulina into their bedroom.
Strumpfer explained the robbers wanted to know where the couple’s valuables were stored and tortured Doulina to make her husband talk.
“They tied Doulina up, set plastic on fire and let it drip on her stomach.”
Once they had access to the safe on the property, they stole money and firearms. They also took the keys of two pickup trucks belonging to the farm. However, apparently Armand was able to free himself. He then confronted them and managed to force them to leave without the two vehicles.
Doulina was taken to hospital for treatment and was later discharged. According to IOL, the couple were not available for comment.
According to provincial police spokesman, Colonel Jay Naicker, no arrests have yet been made.
Reuters reported back in January 2015 that violent attacks on mostly white farmers in South Africa are on the rise. Reportedly, during 2014 there were 67 farm murders in the country.
Police state that the farmers are often targeted because their farms are in remote locations. Farmers are also considered by the robbers to be rich and thus will have plenty of valuables waiting to be stolen.
However, the situation of farming and agricultural land in South Africa is a sensitive and difficult one, as even 20 years after the end of apartheid 87 percent of farming land is apparently owned by the white minority.
In other South African news, the Inquisitr reported recently on the story of families, whose relatives were murdered and had their penises removed, wanting those appendages back so that they can bury their relatives according to traditional methods.
[Image CC by-SA 4.0 Tony Webster]
