Police are investigating a shooting incident at Vioolsdrift in the Northern Cape in which a lawyer from Knysna and a farmer from the Overberg in the Western Cape were killed.
The suspect, the 59-year-old Jacob (Japie) Dawid Malan Claassens from Vioolsdrift, appeared in the Springbok Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 31 October, said Col Cherelle Ehlers of the Northern Cape SAPS Media Centre.
Ehlers said the shooting incident occurred on Monday, 30 October, at approximately 04:30.
Four men were apparently visiting the suspect on the small-holding in Vioolsdrift when, in the early hours of Monday morning, neighbours heard gunshots and went to investigate.
Upon arrival, the suspect allegedly admitted to shooting the two men whom he had apparently thought were burglars, and wanted to hand himself over to the police.
Police immediately attended to the scene and found two injured men who were transported to a hospital in Upington via ambulance.
The two victims, aged 54 and 56, succumbed to their injuries on Wednesday, 1 November.
The suspect remains in custody until his bail application, to be heard on Tuesday, 7 November.
The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation, said Ehlers.
