KZN farm murder: Disabled man strangled to death by unknown suspects

Police are hunting for suspects in connection with the brutal murder of a man confined to a wheelchair on a farm in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) on Friday evening. Neil McKay, who lived alone on the farm, had been injured and confined to a wheelchair some 20 years ago in another farm attack. 

The Democratic Alliance (DA) have called for Police Minister Bheki Cele to ramp up the response of South Africa’s law enforcement agencies to the threat of attacks on the country’s farming community, and said that the fact that McKay was twice victimised by criminals targeting farmers warrants an urgent reaction. 

Farm attack leaves disabled man dead  

South African police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said the McKay was found on Saturday morning, and confirmed that no arrests have yet been made. 

“A case of murder is being investigated by Winterton SAPS. It is alleged that yesterday at 10:15, the body of a 46-year-old man was found with strangulation marks on the neck at a farm in Winterton,” she said. 

“His hands were also tied and he was found in his wheel chair. The circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated.”

It is understood that McKay’s mother discovered the body of her son. 

DA demand response to farm attacks  

Alf Lees, the DA’s Uthukela Constituency Head, said that the party is “shocked and horrified” by the murder. 

“Who would murder a man in a wheelchair? A man in a wheelchair who was both unarmed and physically unable to protect himself,” he said. 

“We are also appalled by the news that the reason he was crippled was because of in an initial farm attack some 20 years ago. In that attack he was shot and disabled. It seems that despite the passing of 20 years the attackers who crippled Neil McKay have never been convicted.”

Lees said that this gruesome incident should move Cele to “finally give as much attention to solving the thousands of unsolved murder cases as he does to arresting people minding their own business on the beach”.

“Neil McKay was a gentle and friendly man of peace who apparently refused to carry or even have a gun, despite living alone on a farm where his now deceased father made it possible for his beloved son to farm from a wheel chair,” he said. 

DNA investigation may lead to break in search for culprits  

Lees claimed that the attack took place after the farm manager and staff left for their homes on Friday evening. 

“It seems they were keeping watch and attacked the defenceless Neil Mackay once he was on his own. First they cleaned out the safe then they apparently dragged Neil to his bedroom where they brutally strangled him to death,” he said. 

“People who would murder a defenceless man are a danger to all of society. They must be found and locked away without delay before they murder again.”

Lees claimed that while McKay’s dogs were “savagely slashed” by the culprits, they were able to injure the alleged killers, “judging by blood samples found at the scene”. 

“It is up to the South African Police to do their job and conduct a thorough forensic investigation to collect the DNA and other evidence needed to ensure that the murderers are charged, convicted and thrown into jail for life.”