Support following a farm attack or farm murder

The AfriForum Trauma Unit was established in 2015, stemming from the need to support victims of farm attacks and farm murders. The need for assistance arose among victims who had experienced severe trauma following traumatic events such as farm attacks and other violent crimes.

Over time, the unit expanded to also provide support to victims during police legal processes and court hearings.

The AfriForum Trauma Unit offers victims of farm murders/farm attacks and violent crimes counselling, trauma defusing, emotional support (which includes on-scene support, emotional support during police and legal processes, support during hospitalisation, telephonic support), empowerment and material assistance (amongst others, cleaning of the scene, upgrading security, assistance with medical expenses).

The following are some examples of the support the unit has provided to victims of farm attacks and their families.

FARM ATTACK: BROWN FAMILY – NELSPRUIT (3 November 2019)

Henry Brown (77), his wife Martie (74), and their son Tommy (53) were assaulted with an axe and a panga inside their farmhouse on the Uitkyk Road near Nelspruit in the early morning hours of Sunday 3 November 2019.

Henry was struck on the face and head with an axe and a panga; a portion of his skull had to be removed to reduce swelling. He also required an emergency blood transfusion.

Tommy scuffled with one of the suspects and was shot in the leg. He underwent surgery and was discharged.

Henry was treated at the private Kiaat Hospital for ten days and was discharged on 13 November because the family did not have medical aid and could no longer afford the medical expenses.

The bill from Kiaat Hospital amounted to R180 000. The Brown family approached the AfriForum Trauma Unit for assistance with the aforementioned bill.

The organisation contributed R20 000 from its victim support fund to assist the family with the large outstanding bill and help alleviate their financial burden.  

Sadly, Henry passed away from his injuries on 24 December 2019.

FARM MURDER: DR. JESSE COLEMAN – DELMAS (26 September 2022)

Several suspects ambushed Dr Jesse Coleman on his farm near Delmas on the morning of 26 September 2022. They gained access to the house by forcing open the back door. A struggle ensued, and he was tied up; his body was later discovered inside the house, lying in a pool of blood with multiple wounds.

A professional crime scene cleanup service cleaned the scene. A request for counselling was received from Dr Coleman’s two adult children, Allison and Matthew. The AfriForum Trauma Unit visited Dr Coleman’s daughter, Allison, at her home in Benoni, where a debriefing session was conducted with her and her husband. A follow-up consultation took place, and further telephonic follow-ups were conducted to provide support.

The unit also visited Dr Coleman’s son, Matthew, approximately a week after his father’s murder.  During this visit, a debriefing session was held, and the scene and home where the murder occurred were visited; subsequently, we visited Dr Coleman’s grave on the farm where he was laid to rest. This was done at Matthew’s request, and it meant a great deal to him that the unit was willing to walk through the entire process with him, as it helped make the experience slightly easier for him. Further telephonic follow-ups were conducted to provide ongoing support.

 The AfriForum Trauma Unit uses Crime Scene Clean-up services to clean up scenes, thereby preventing family members or neighbours from cleaning the scene themselves and experiencing secondary trauma.   

FARM MURDER: THYS VAN NIEKERK – CRADOCK (30 August 2023)

On Wednesday 30 August 2023, Thys van Niekerk (65) was found dead, bearing stab wounds and lying in a pool of blood, at a farm outside Cradock.

Crime Scene Clean-up cleaned the scene using special chemicals. This spared family, friends, and neighbours the secondary trauma involved, as cleaning up such a scene is highly traumatic.

Van Niekerk’s car was later found abandoned on Conway Road, Hofmeyr, in the Eastern Cape. He was an engineer who had been renting the farmhouse for the duration of the road construction project on which he was working.