LOUIS TRICHARDT – A group of about three illegal hunters last week tried to follow through on their threat to kill a local farmer, after warning him that they will kill him the next time they see him.

About two weeks ago, Mr Tobie Steenkamp from the farm Schaaphoek near Bandelierkop found a message written in sand on his farm, stating: "Kill u next time". The message was written next to a border fence at a very inaccessible part of the farm were it is difficult to turn around quickly. Prior to the message, Mr Steenkamp was attacked twice and in one instance an illegal hunter tried to stab him with a spear. Since the beginning of the year, Mr Steenkamp has lost more than a hundred cattle due to illegal hunters.

Last Thursday (5th), Mr Steenkamp was again patrolling the same fence. Luckily for him this time, he decided to turn his bakkie around first, before stopping to get out. As he was getting out of his vehicle, he grabbed his hunting rifle, lying next to him, by the barrel. At that precise moment he heard someone inciting a group of dogs and the next moment he was surrounded by a pack of dogs.

"Most people do not realise that these dogs are not your common house dog. These dogs are trained to kill on command and could easily do so with a person," Mr Steenkamp said.

Mr Steenkamp frantically started firing shots in the direction of the dogs. At that stage they were right on top of him and it was difficult for him to take aim. He did, however, manage to kill one of them, but still the dogs kept on coming. With his back to the bakkie, Mr Steenkamp then worked his way around the vehicle, continuously firing shots at the dogs. It was only after wounding a second one that the dogs disappeared into the dense vegetation.

Last Thursday's attack is but one of many dangerous incidents wherein Mr Steenkamp, as well as many other game and stock farmers in the area, had to once again play victim to illegal hunters. The police force's unwillingness to assist farmers in their fight against illegal hunting also exacerbates this unenviable situation of the farmers. Since April this year Mr Steenkamp has reported more than thirty cases relating to illegal hunting, stock theft, theft of the fence, theft of household items, theft of water pipes, malicious damage to property, poisoning and attempted murder to the police with little or no response at all. In many instances the cases were merely closed. This occurs despite revelations of the identity of possible suspects to the police by Mr Steenkamp. In one instance he was asked if he actually saw the suspect and upon replying that he had not, the police told him that his information was worth nothing. In another instance, when Mr Steenkamp was attacked, a police officer at Bandelierkop told him that he must phone the police as soon as he has caught the suspects.

After last Thursday's attack, Mr Steenkamp drove to the police station at Bandelierkop to report the incident, but again he was met with the same reluctance to help him. He then managed to convince a member of the fingerprint unit in Louis Trichardt to visit his farm and record the crime scene on film. It was then discovered from footprints that a group of at least three men were hiding behind some bushes about seven metres away from where the attack took place. By the time of going to press, Mr Steenkamp was still waiting for the police at Bandelierkop to visit his farm and attend the crime scene.

Prior to the attack on Thursday, illegal hunters slaughtered another one of Mr Steenkamp's cattle earlier that morning. In this instance, the hunters arrogantly hung the animal's tail on a tree were Mr Steenkamp could easily find it. He lost a further two cattle on Friday due to wire snares.

On Wednesday, the police's headquarters in Polokwane stated that they will look into the matter and will commend on the issue within the next week.