Farm murder sentence hailed

THE sentence handed down to three young men convicted of murdering an elderly woman at her Tongaat farmhouse has been hailed as a victory for farmworkers.

In April, 70-year-old Virathapushanam “Vee” Govender’s body was found bound behind a bed in her daughter’s room with a pillow placed over it at her Spioenkop farm homestead near othongathi.

Govender’s 72-year-old husband, Steve, fooled his attackers by playing dead in the bathroom when they checked his pulse. He had been assaulted and stabbed in the head.

This week, Smangaliso Michael Mayela, 21, Nkosinathi Ngcobo, 20, and Odwa Zide, 21, were sentenced on a raft of charges by Magistrate Anand Maharaj. They all pleaded guilty in the Durban Magistrate’s Court.

Each was sentenced to a cumulative 40 years’ imprisonment for murder, attempted murder, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and the possession of an unlicensed firearm.

Earlier in her testimony, Govender’s daughter Dr Yuvashnee Govender, said the attack shocked farm owners across the country.

Yuvashnee said her parents had lived happily and independently on the farm and worked hard to maintain their business, selling vegetables at the Tongaat market.

The convicted murderers revealed in court that they had planned the

5am robbery – and that one of the men had worked for the Govenders.

Outside court, Yuvashnee said the sentencing showed that farm attacks would no longer be tolerated.

Police Minister Bheki Cele has released a report revealing farm attacks had increased since 2012.

The brother of the dead woman, Aroo Govender, said some people in the area had beefed up security.

Maharaj commended the police provincial task team for swift action in making arrests. – Karinda Jagmohan & Nkululeko Nene