Pretoria High Court Convicts Three Farmers Of Murdering Farm Dweller Dumisani Phakathi In Mamokgalieskraal

The High Court in Pretoria has found three farmers guilty of the brutal murder of farm dweller Dumisani Phakathi.

Jaco Wessels Kemp, 36, Louise Coetzee, 29, and Gert Frederik van der Westhuizen were convicted following a violent attack at a chicken farm in Mamokgalieskraal in September 2023.

Phakathi’s body was later discovered during a police stop-and-search operation along the R511 towards Brits, leading to swift arrests and an extensive investigation.

Pretoria High Court Conviction in Mamokgalieskraal Farm Murder Case

During the trial, the court heard that on 16 September 2023, the trio were hosting a braai at the farm when they saw Phakathi walking past the gate. He was reportedly on his way to collect water from a nearby furrow frequently used by community members.

The three approached him and assaulted him before dragging him into a storage facility on the property. The assault continued inside the building until he succumbed to his injuries.

In the early hours of 17 September 2023, at around 2am, Kemp and Coetzee were stopped by police during a routine stop-and-search operation on the R511. They were travelling in a bakkie carrying black refuse bags.

Officers noticed human legs protruding from beneath the bags. Upon closer inspection, they found Phakathi’s bloodied body, with his head covered in plastic. Kemp and Coetzee were arrested at the scene.

Van der Westhuizen handed himself over to police on 19 September 2023 after investigations connected him to the crime.

NPA Welcomes Guilty Verdict as Sentencing Date Set

All three accused pleaded not guilty during the trial and attempted to shift responsibility onto one another.

However, State Prosecutor Advocate Lawrence More presented testimony from state witnesses, which the court accepted as proving the State’s case beyond reasonable doubt.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Athlone CPF Urges Communities To Take Control Amid Rising Gang Violence In Western Cape

National Prosecuting Authority Gauteng regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana welcomed the outcome.

“The NPA welcomes the conviction and reiterates its commitment to ensuring accountability for violent crimes, particularly those committed against vulnerable members of society,” Mahanjana said.

The matter has been postponed to 16 March 2026 for sentencing.