Who fed our brother to crocodiles?
A DISTRAUGHT woman has told of her pain after her farm-worker brother disappeared more than a week ago - and is believed to have been eaten by crocodiles in the Lepelle river.
His employer told Esther Lubisi and the police that her brother, David "Dayk" Lubisi, was last seen walking into a crocodile-infested river.
Police are investigating the mysterious circumstances under which Lubisi disappeared.
The employer told police that a neighbouring farmer had reported seeing a crocodile with a human leg protruding from its mouth in the river formerly known as Olifants river last Monday.
He further told them that Lubisi was drunk when the incident happened on the evening of Thursday, April 7.
But Esther says it is "impossible" because Lubisi did not drink alcohol at all He was a member of the Zion Christian Church and adhered to the church's doctrine.
"I think the police must look at this very closely. My brother was a sober man. I insist that he did not drink alcohol."
Lubisi, 40, of Tsuvulani village near Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanaga, had worked on the farm outside Phalaborwa for just more than five years.
"I think my brother was killed and fed to crocodiles, or just thrown into the river," Lubisi said. "I have asked police to be thorough with their investigation.
"There are many unanswered questions. His employer did not immediately come to us or send one of the other employees to come and tell us about the incident.
"We only got to know about it when police came to the family two days later."
Jesper Kehlet, owner of Balule River Camp, said he had gathered from his employees that Lubisi had thrown himself into the river.
He said Lubisi had drunk alcohol on two previous occasions.
But Kehlet contradicted himself when he said he would "immediately" fire any employee found drinking at work.
The farmer claimed he was in the office when Lubisi, allegedly one of his trusted workers, went into the river.
Kehlet, a Danish national, said he phoned the Phala-borwa police as soon as he was notified of Lubisi's disappearance.
Phalaborwa police commander Colonel Masilo Selepe confirmed that he went to the scene shortly after receiving a call from the farm on April 7, but he would not specifically say who the call came from.
"We are currently investigating the circumstances that led to the disappearance of a man in a river," Selepe said yesterday.
Lizah Lekhuleni, a ward councillor in the Bushbuckridge municipality, called on the government to tighten laws to stop the murder of farmworkers "because the practice is becoming prevalent".
Lekhuleni said the municipality would support the family of Lubisi until the truth came out.
Sinudeity
Lizah Lekhuleni, a ward councillor in the Bushbuckridge municipality, called on the government to tighten laws to stop the murder of farmworkers "because the practice is becoming prevalent"*sigh*
Here we go again.
Furthermore Id like proof of Lizah's claims.
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asaowe
no speculation guyz please let wait for more information bfor we accused any1, sowetan don't invesigate properly tht why we bcame stupid later on the day.Report Abuse
Bonzer
This is a trend with the Sowetan. Publishing articles that blame whites especially farmers for committing crimes against blacks that are not true.The axe murdering rugby player and those four guys who were raped by 2 other guys. It turns out the criminals were always black and not white yet the Sowetan makes no correction of the stories.
Let's just wait for the calls to kill whites and farmers because of this story. Let the hate get worse and then tomorrow we will see that the farmer had nothing to do with it. The problem is the damage is already done and the polarisation gets worse.
I really think Sowetan is up to no good, writing dishonest stories trying to cause racial problems. I suspect the Sowetan is trying to get votes for the ANC by making whites look bad.
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2Think
We often jump to conclusions, I immediately assumed Anna Majavu wrote this, me bad. Sorry Anna.Report Abuse
Makhosini
The employer is very economical with the truth. There is more to this story that we are told. As much as we are concerned with farm murders, we must be told about atrocities that are committed against farm workers. Didn't we have a case, where a farm worker was fed to lions?Report Abuse
Sinudeity
Makhosini - The lion case, was a farm worker that murdered another farm worker. And the farmer helped dispose of the body by feeding it to lions.Report Abuse
Makhosini
@SinudeityThank you for refreshing my mind. I knew what transpired, hence my question; Didn't we have a case, where a farm worker was fed to lions? Yes or No.
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Bonzer
@Makhosini. No there was a case where a construction workers body was fed to the lions by other black people and one white guy the white guy was a builder not a farmer). The white guy has since been released from jail and one of the black guys is still in jail for that crime.This case is more than 10 years old and really is a poor example of white farmers commiting crime against black farm workers. It does show, that you Makhosini are desperate to try prove that white farmers are criminals. You obviously have a preconceived idea of this and will never change your mind even if the only proof you can think of is a 10 year old case that did not involve farmers or whites (only whites).
Just like the Sowetan, you are determined to hang to your hatered.
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emzet101
The councillor sounds like an idiot. same goes for the sister; I know some people who used to be ZCC members, but stopped that and statrted drinking, meanining it is possible that your brother might have changed his mind about ZCC and its laws. Lets wait for investigations.Report Abuse
Bonzer
The problem for the Sowetan is that nobody is going to take them seriously anymore. Even if their report is true everyone will wait and see what the other media is reporting before making a decision.Report Abuse