A 47-year-old farm owner was arrested on Thursday for allegedly firing on an employee he mistook for a monkey‚ with a pellet gun. The worker is receiving treatment for his injury.

The incident took place on Wednesday at a farm called Novengilla group 91 in the Letsitele policing area of Limpopo.

It is the second case of the sort this week: An 87-year-old farmer was arrested in KwaZulu-Natal after he allegedly shot and killed a 12-year-old boy‚ he claimed he thought was a monkey. Bongumusa Duma of Braemar on the south coast was shot on Sunday morning while plucking guavas from a tree.

And in February‚ a hunter was arrested for murder in Limpopo after he allegedly mistook a 23-year-old farm worker for a warthog.

'Monkey' shooting: Slain boy's mother believes the incident was a mistakeThe mother of the 12-year-old boy who was shot dead by his 87-year-old neighbour — who apparently mistook him for a monkey — believes the incident was a mistake. 

Explaining the circumstances of this week’s Limpopo shooting‚ Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said: “It is alleged the victim‚ Mathanene Ishmael‚ aged 55‚ was on duty at the farm when he was sent by his foreman to go and fetch a pick from the storeroom.

“On his way back and riding his bicycle‚ he was allegedly shot in the head by his employer and fell down. The suspect claimed he mistook him for a monkey. He allegedly used a pellet gun to shoot the victim.”

The victim‚ who is from Mariveni village outside Tzaneen‚ was taken to the hospital with head injuries.

The firearm has been confiscated.

Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba warned gun owners to make proper identification of the target before discharging their firearms

“I want to issue a strong warning to anyone with the tendency of shooting at human beings believing them to be animals that the police will act swiftly in arresting them‚” said General Ledwaba.

The suspect will appear in the Ritavi magistrate court on a charge of attempted murder.