The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has welcomed the swift apprehension of a suspect linked to a fatal farm attack that occurred this past weekend near Baltimore in the Tolwe policing area.
The incident took place on Saturday, 29 November 2025, at approximately 16:00. According to police reports, the attack began when two unknown male suspects entered a farmhouse while the 77-year-old owner, Attie Mahne, was checking on his cattle. The intruders allegedly tied up Mahne’s wife at knifepoint.
Upon his return, Mahne was confronted by the suspects. They tied him up, subjected him to a severe assault, and then fled the scene. The victim’s wife managed to free herself and alerted the local farm watch.
Police, alongside neighbouring farmers, responded immediately. They discovered the 77-year-old victim still bound and unconscious. Emergency Medical Services personnel were called but declared Attie Mahne dead at the scene.
It is reported that several items, including a firearm and an undisclosed sum of money, were stolen during the attack.
Following an intensive investigation, a multi-disciplinary team comprising the Provincial Murder and Robbery Unit, Tolwe Detectives, Bosbeld Misdaad Ondersoeke, and the Bosveld Plaasbeveiliging Security Company arrested a 28-year-old male suspect in the early hours of Tuesday, 02 December 2025.
“The swift arrest is a testament to the collaborative efforts of our units and private security partners,” stated Lieutenant General Hadebe. “We are committed to bringing all those involved in this heinous crime to justice.”
The arrested suspect is scheduled to make his first appearance before the Senwabarwana Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 03 December 2025. A manhunt for the second suspect remains ongoing.
Police investigations into the murder and robbery are continuing.