Owen Clifford Daniels

Owen Daniels (1947 - 2008)

Brief overview:

Owen (62) the Foreman of farm Platberg in Elandslaagte, and his granddaughter, Kulsum Herbst (20) - mother of a three year old daughter - were murdered on 22nd November 2008. They were both bludgeoned to death.

Bheki Nsibanyoni (30), was charged with murdering farm foreman Owen Daniels, of the farm Platberg in Elandslaagte, and his granddaughter Kulsum Herbst. Nsibanyoni had been released on early parole - imprisoned for a previous attempted murder and rape -- when he was arrested and charged with murdering Daniels and Herbst, a mother of a three-year-old girl. Police believe she was also raped before she was murdered. Police captain Charmaine Struwig of the KZN police said Nsibanyoni found a job as a labourer on Platberg after he was paroled.

The murdered man's widow Cynthia Daniel (61), said that her husband was not happy with Nsibanyoni and suspected him of stealing various items on the farm. "He was going to report this to the farmer George Mitchell-Innes,' she said. She believes that her husband confronted Nsibanyoni shortly before his death about the matter and was murdered. The murders were discovered after the black parolee fled with Daniels' car but was arrested shortly thereafter for a traffic violation. Police discovered the bodies when they went to the farm to investigate its ownership. Struwig said Nsibanyoni and other workers had been sitting around outside Daniels' cottage. Mrs Herbst was in her room at the time. Their reconstruction of the crime scene revealed that Mr Daniels was bludgeoned to death outside his cottage and his granddaughter daughter was raped at knifepoint and then killed with a hammer.

Nsibanyoni was not asked to plead during his first court appearance. He will appear soon to set a bail application date hearing. No further updates can be found.

Note - Herbst is recorded as Tasha Daniels (20) 22-11-08 KZN on The Wall of Remembrance.

Brief Biography:

• Other Victims/Family
• Funeral/Memorial
• The Farm/Smallholding
• The Region (Land disputes, other incidents etc.)

Attack Details:

• Date and time of attack
• Weapons
• Items Stolen
• 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

Additional Biographical Information:

Links to Media articles:

• https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000193947192866
• http://censorbugbear-reports.blogspot.com/2008/10/only-some-of-whit...
• https://www.kwanalu.co.za/wall-of-rememberance/