Lephalale, Limpopo – December 2, 2025 – South African Police Service (SAPS) officers in Limpopo have initiated a widespread search for two unidentified suspects following the murder of a 77-year-old farmer during a violent robbery at his farmhouse near the Baltimore Tolwe policing area.
The incident occurred on the afternoon of November 29, 2025, on a farm located in the Lephalale district. According to police reports, the elderly farmer had stepped out from his residence to inspect his cattle in a nearby field, leaving his wife alone inside the home. During this time, the two suspects entered the property undetected and confronted the woman, binding her with restraints to prevent resistance.
Upon the farmer’s return to the farmhouse, the suspects ambushed him, securing him at knifepoint in a similar manner. The intruders proceeded to ransack the dwelling, making off with several valuable items, including multiple cellphones, a firearm, and an unspecified amount of cash. In the course of the robbery, the suspects subjected the farmer to a brutal assault, leaving him tied up and unresponsive on the floor before fleeing the scene on foot.
The farmer’s wife, who had been bound but otherwise unharmed during the ordeal, managed to free herself shortly after the perpetrators escaped. She immediately contacted the local neighbourhood farm watch group for assistance, alerting them to the emergency. Responders from the watch, along with SAPS personnel and neighbouring farmers, arrived promptly at the location. Upon assessment, they discovered the victim still restrained and in a state of unconsciousness. Emergency medical services were summoned, but the 77-year-old was pronounced dead upon their arrival at the scene, with the cause of death attributed to injuries sustained in the severe beating.
SAPS has classified the case as a murder investigation, with additional charges of robbery and assault under consideration as the probe continues. No arrests have been made to date, and authorities have described the suspects only as two individuals whose physical descriptions remain unavailable from initial witness accounts. The wife provided a preliminary statement to investigators, confirming the sequence of events and the items stolen, which police are now tracking in an effort to trace the culprits.
This robbery-turned-homicide marks a grim addition to ongoing concerns about farm security in rural Limpopo, though SAPS has emphasized their commitment to resolving the case swiftly. Community patrols in the Baltimore Tolwe area have been intensified in the immediate aftermath, with officers urging residents to report any sightings of suspicious activity or the stolen firearm.
Investigators are appealing for public assistance and have requested that anyone with information contact the Lephalale SAPS station directly. The incident underscores the vulnerabilities faced by isolated agricultural properties, where quick response times from community networks proved critical in this instance, albeit too late to save the victim.
Further details from the autopsy and forensic examination are pending, expected to provide additional clarity on the exact nature of the assault. SAPS has confirmed that no other individuals were present on the property at the time, and the motive appears confined to theft, with no evidence of prior acquaintance between the suspects and the couple. The manhunt remains active, with resources allocated to scour surrounding farmlands and nearby settlements for leads.
