South African police have arrested five suspects in connection with a brutal attack on a cattle farmer who was shot, stabbed and had his ears cut off during a robbery at his home in Ventersdorp, North West Province.
The arrests have sparked relief among the victim’s family, who welcomed the police action while calling for the legal process to take its course.
The victim, identified as 50-year-old Donovan Marx, was attacked last Wednesday when he returned to his farm, where a group of masked men had reportedly been waiting for him.
According to police, the attackers first confronted a farm worker who was mowing the lawn at Marx’s residence. The suspects, who were armed with guns, allegedly demanded to know Marx’s whereabouts before tying the worker’s hands and feet with cable ties.
When Marx arrived at the property, two of the suspects allegedly approached him and shot him in the upper body.
Police said the attackers subsequently dragged him into the house, restrained his hands and feet with cable ties and repeatedly stabbed him.
The suspects then ransacked the residence, broke into a safe and stole three firearms before fleeing the scene in Marx’s van.
The farm worker eventually managed to free himself and raise the alarm, leading to Marx being rushed to hospital for emergency treatment.
He remains hospitalised following the horrific ordeal. However, local media reports indicate that he may require prosthetic ears after surgeons were unable to save his ears, which had been severed during the attack.
All five suspects were arrested over the weekend. They are aged between 26 and 56 and are expected to appear in court on Tuesday to face charges including house robbery, attempted murder and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
South Africa’s Agriculture Minister, Willie Aucamp, condemned the attack, describing it as a senseless and barbaric act that should have no place in the country.
“There is no place in our country for such senseless and barbaric acts,” Aucamp said.
Meanwhile, Ian Cameron, chairperson of Parliament’s Police Committee, commended officers for what he described as swift arrests. He urged investigators to build a strong case to ensure those responsible are held accountable.
The attack has triggered widespread outrage in South Africa, a country that continues to struggle with high levels of violent crime.
It has also reignited debate surrounding attacks on farmers, particularly white farmers from the Afrikaner community. Some right-wing groups have used such incidents to advance claims that white people are facing genocide in South Africa, allegations that have been widely discredited.
The claims have been rejected by political parties across the country’s political spectrum, including those representing Afrikaner interests. However, United States President Donald Trump has repeatedly echoed the allegations and previously offered white Afrikaners asylum in the US.
South Africa’s crime statistics for April to June 2026 do not provide a comprehensive breakdown of attacks specifically targeting farms. The available figures recorded only one robbery in a rural area during the period.
Police data, however, indicate that the majority of crime victims in South Africa, including those affected by crime on farms, are black.
The five suspects are expected to appear in court as investigations into the attack continue.
