A FARMER charged with severely assaulting two farmworkers was yesterday granted bail in the Ottosdal magistrate's court.

JW Grobbler has also been banished from his farm in North West as part of the bail conditions.

Grobbler and his four alleged accomplices were told to report to the Ottosdal police every day, and not to talk to the complainants or interfere with witnesses. Some of the witnesses work for Grobbler.

Grobbler, WT Pienaar, D Doper, David Melamu and Andries Sematle are facing charges of assault with grievous bodily harm after they allegedly assaulted two farmworkers. It was reported that the two were beaten up after they were found taking a short cut via Doper's farm on their way home.

One of the victims, Ezekiel Letlakane, 59, was so severely injured that he could not talk, said Cosatu provincial secretary Solly Phetoe.

Doper was granted R15000 bail, while Grobbler and Pienaar were let out on R10000 each. Melamu and Sematle got R1000 bail each.

The attack - which happened last week - led to a protest march by farming communities and residents of Letsopa township outside Ottosdal. They claimed the attack was racially motivated.

They had also alleged that the suspects would get bail because the victims were black.

Cosatu in North West says it is "disappointed" by the National Prosecuting Authority for not arguing against the granting of bail to the suspects yesterday.

Phetoe said the investigating officer had in his statement asked the court not to grant the accused bail.

"He made it clear that racial attacks by farmers were rife, and that the police were coming across many cases every day involving farm owners making life difficult for farm dwellers.

"But the prosecutor chose not to argue the case and oppose bail. We are disappointed by this country's prosecutors," Phetoe said.

The accused will appear in court again on January 13 next year.