Johannes Christoffel Labuschagne

Johannes “Sokkies” Labuschagne (1944 - 2006)

Brief overview:

Johan (61), was murdered on his Vredepoort farm on 6th March 2006, when he returned home to find three men ransacking his house. He was shot once in the neck and then in the head, and passed on the way to the hospital.

Sue Seeber, Johan's sister said "My brother’s death was a result of police incompetence. His life was threatened by the same individual (now standing trial for the murder) twice. He reported it twice and made two statements relating to the incidents at the Indwe police station, and one in Aliwal North. The police knew the individual was harassing him for weeks before the murder. My brother said on numerous occasions that his life was in danger. He was right. The police always say it’s robbery, but my brother’s murder was premeditated. I am not leaving it there, I am very sorry."

Brief Biography:

• Other Victims/Family
  • Johan's brother Jan Gabriel Labuschagne, died of a heart attack in April 2003, that doctors said was brought on by a knife attack at his shop in Indwe, during which he was stabbed seven times.
• Funeral/Memorial
• The Farm/Smallholding
• The Region (Land disputes, other incidents etc.)
  • Johan's was the second Farm Murder in Indwe in 2006, barely six weeks after the gruesome murder of Jennifer Grace Thornton from the farm Devon Bank.

Attack Details:

• Date and time of attack
• Weapons
• Items Stolen
  • Items stolen, and also recovered were; two revolvers, a DVD player, video cassettes, tools, kitchen appliances, clothing, wallet, cellphone, boots and shoes.
• Investigative officer/SAPS Case No:
• Torture, Gratuitous violence
• Indications of Hate Crime? Threats etc.

Perpetrator details:

• Number and Descriptions
• Arrests
• Name/s and age/s of Perpetrator/s
• Country of origin of Perpetrator/s
• Trial/Conviction
  • In July Judge Jeremy Pickering, of the Grahamstown High Court, sentenced Ludwe Mdyesha (24) to life imprisonment, plus 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances, and three years for the unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. The sentences will run concurrently with the murder sentence. He is also serving an eight-year sentence for assault and two counts of unlawfully escaping from custody. The two other accused - Mkululeko Tyiwa (18) and Unathi Mbwana Thompson (20) also from Indwe - were sentenced to three years in prison, for housebreaking, intent to steal, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
  • Judge Jeremy Pickering described the crime 'as brutal and callous in the extreme'. "You shot him once and as he crawled away, and despite his pleas for mercy, you followed him and shot him again."

Additional Biographical Information:

• ID Number : 4408235023083
• Official cause of death : Unnatural causes
• https://www.gendatabase.com/deceased-record.php?q=4852393&r=JOHANNE...

Links to Media articles:

• http://archive.fo/Jh13e
• http://archive.is/JmHkZ
• http://archive.fo/4hJ4J
• http://archive.fo/wmEv1
• http://archive.fo/IuzaH
• https://archive.is/JQ3oT
• https://www.yumpu.com/nl/document/read/4451339/laai-af-die-lys-van-...
• https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000194590620834