Coffin display at farm fence upsets residents
AN EASTERN Cape farmer has caused panic in the Stutterheim village of Ndakana after he placed a black coffin near a fence on his farm and allegedly threatened to kill trespassers and put them inside it.
This after the farmer, Frans Kruger, lost six prized somba cattle worth R100 000 in less than two weeks.
Kruger told the Daily Dispatch that burying the coffin halfway in the ground was his way of protecting his livestock against thieves.
Local factory workers are now scared of using a servitude across Kruger’s farm to get to work, while traditionalists claimed the coffin would unleash bad luck on locals.
Zizeni villagers in Ndakana claim children as young as Grade R pupils had been traumatised by the unusual sight of the coffin.
Mlindi Tweni, 39, claimed that he had heard from Kruger’s employees that the farmer would kill trespassers and bury them in the coffin.
“I have a daughter in Grade R, who sees the coffin every morning on her way to school. She is asking me what that box is and I can’t answer her.”
Stwayi Matshabalala, 59, asked: “It’s a black coffin, why is he bringing a curse and bad luck to this community?”
However, speaking from Boalax Farm near Komgha, Kruger said he was well within his rights to bury the coffin halfway in the ground.
“This is not a political statement. I can do whatever I want to do on my property,” he said.
Kruger claimed that he and other farmers in the region had lost almost 60 cattle this year alone. “The police know about the problem of stock theft in the area so I am doing something to protect myself,” he said.
Villagers said they too were victims of livestock theft.
Kruger denied allegations that he had threatened to shoot and bury villagers in the coffin. “That is not true, I have never engaged with anyone from the community.”
Kruger’s claim was confirmed by Matshabalala, who believes Kruger should have spoken to the community.
“He has never engaged the community. He should ask for assistance from us to fight stock theft together because we are also affected, but instead he decided to erect a coffin.”
King William’s Town police spokeswoman Captain Siphokazi Mawisa said there was little they could do about the situation.
“There is no criminal case. The farmer has a right to do what he wants on his property.”
She said 10 stock theft suspects had been nabbed in the area this month. —