North West Premier Thandi Modise has expressed shock that the incident in which a well known dog breeder Eric Labuschane was murdered and his 78-year-elderly mother locked in the bathroom and only discovered after a week. 

 

Modise said on Saturday the dog breeder’s death outside Rustenburg highlights the need for farmers to keep in regular contact with each other.

 

“An effective communication network with farmers should be maintained by rural safety co-ordinating structures in order to prevent farm attacks and improve response time in the event attacks occur,” she said.

 

Modise was reacting to the death of Eric Labuschane.

 

The farmer lay dead in his farm house for a week while his mother, who has Alzheimer’s, was locked in the bathroom, Beeld reported on Saturday.

 

Eric Labuschane, aged 51, who bred Great Danes, was found on Thursday, while police only found his 78-year-old mother on Friday, according to the report.

 

Recluse

 

Labuschane had been stabbed and assaulted with a rock.

 

The mother was found sitting in the bath, severely dehydrated and suffering from shock. She was taken to hospital.

 

Labuschane had been living in the four-bedroom house on Olifants Hoek farm, about 23km outside Rustenburg, since August last year.

 

He was renting the house from Peter Roberts, son of herbalist Margaret Roberts, according to the report.

 

Labuschane and his mother were last seen last Wednesday night.

 

Roberts said Labuschane was a recluse and he was not worried that he had not seen him or his mother.

 

He said he became suspicious when he saw how thin Labuschane’s dogs were looking.

 

“I went to the house, there was a bad smell and flies.”

 

No forced entry

 

Roberts called the police and they broke down the front door.

 

They found Labuschane’s body in the main bedroom.

 

“There was blood all over the walls and Eric was stabbed and beaten with a rock,” said Roberts.

 

North West police spokesperson Colonel Emelda Setlhako said Labuschane had also been strangled.

 

It did not look like there was forced entry into the house.

 

Labuschane had a worker who was also last seen last Wednesday.

 

A Volkswagen bakkie and two cellphones were missing.

 

“We wish Labuschane’s elderly mother a speedy recovery and pray for her strength to deal with her loss as she mourns the tragic death of her son,” Modise said.

 

She called on police not to leave any stone unturned until those responsible were behind bars.

 

 

– SAPA