Man jailed for attack on farm

A KIRKWOOD man was sentenced yesterday to an effective 15 years in prison following an attack on people at the farm on which he was employed.

Siyanda Tyidyi, 22, pleaded guilty to four charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances and housebreaking with intent to rob.

Tyidyi said in October last year he and several other men had decided to rob the occupants of Oranjelus in Kirkwood. One was armed with a handgun, one with a rifle and one with a panga. He said they used the weapons to threaten and assault the women in the house, one of whom was a teenager.

The state alleges Tyidyi and his co-perpetrators stole more than R100 000 worth of goods including weapons from the safes in the farmhouse, the women’s cellphones, jewellery and electronic equipment. They also stole a car worth about R100 000.

While Tyidyi pleaded guilty, his two co-accused Anathi Stuurman and Phelo Matyolo, both 22, pleaded not guilty. Grahamstown High Court Judge Mandela Makaula convicted Tyidyi after separating his trial from that of the other two men.

Makaula said the offences were serious and the only reason the complainants had not been killed was because they had offered no resistance.

“Had they resisted the consequences would definitely have been dire.”

He said Tyidyi had been motivated purely by greed. “He was gainfully employed and had absolutely no reason to do this”.

The case against the other two continues.