The Mayor of Makhado Municipality, Councillor Glory Mashaba, expressed her sympathy towards the Van den Berg family, the most recent victims in the spate of crime in town culminating in armed attacks and the death of businessman Ben Fisser.

“On behalf of the Makhado Municipality, I express my heartfelt sympathy towards the victims and their families. I also express my sincere condolences to the family who lost a loved one last week,” said Cllr Mashaba on Tuesday.

The Fisser family lost their husband and father, Mr Ben Fisser, in a cold-blooded murder on Sunday, April 9. The late Mr Fisser was a well-known businessman in town. Mrs Petro van den Berg was critically injured after a bullet fired through the window of their home on April 18, first hit her husband, André, and then her in the head. The motive for the murder and attempted murder are not known.

After receiving the news of the attack on Mrs Van den Berg, Cllr Mashaba, who was in Polokwane for a meeting, phoned the hospital in Polokwane and was informed that Mrs Van den Berg was still under operation in theatre. The mayor planned to visit Mrs Van den Berg in the hospital.

“We have a responsibility for the safety of the residents,” Cllr Mashaba said.

“We condemn this type of action. We cannot have these incidents and not do anything.”

The mayor said that she would take up the issue of the current violent crime wave in Makhado (Louis Trichardt) with Ms Machwene Semenya, provincial MEC for the Department of Safety, Security and Liaison and with the local police station.

“This is a matter for the politicians, the community and the police. We appeal to the community to come forward with information,” Mashaba said.