Farm murder: 28-year-old man arrested for killing Limpopo farmer Attie Mahne
Limpopo farmer Attie Mahne, 77, was killed in a brutal farm attack in Tolwe; his wife Pietro was assaulted but managed to raise the alarm.
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A 28-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the brutal farm murder of 77-year-old Limpopo farmer Attie Mahne, who was killed during a violent home invasion at his farm near Baltimore in the Tolwe policing area at the weekend.
Limpopo police confirmed that the suspect was apprehended in the early hours of Tuesday following an intensive manhunt led by the Provincial Murder and Robbery Unit, Tolwe detectives, Bosbeld Misdaad Ondersoeke and the Bosveld Plaasbeveiliging security company.
The provincial commissioner of police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has welcomed the swift breakthrough.
Mahne was attacked on Saturday at around 4 pm after leaving the farmhouse to check on his cattle. Police said two intruders entered the home during that time and tied up his wife at knifepoint.
When Mahne returned, he was overpowered, bound, and severely assaulted before the assailants fled with several stolen items, including a firearm and an undisclosed amount of cash.
His wife later freed herself and alerted the local farm watch. Responding neighbours and police found Mahne still tied up and unconscious. Paramedics declared him dead at the scene.
The arrested suspect is expected to appear in the Senwabarwana Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 3 December 2025, on charges linked to the murder. Police confirmed that a second suspect is still being sought.
Last month, IOL reported that a KwaZulu-Natal farmer, Mike Pryor, was abducted from his home and murdered before his burnt remains were discovered in his vehicle in Mpophomeni.
"It is with deep sorrow and profound shock that I, on behalf of uMngeni Local Municipality, announce the tragic passing of resident, Mike Pryor, of Kwa Heri Farm in the Indezi Valley, opposite Boschhoek in Ward 3," said the Deputy Mayor, Sandile Mnikathi, in a statement.
According to the municipality, preliminary investigations by the South African Police Service found that Pryor had been taken from his home late at night and his vehicle was later set alight.
"While the exact details are still under investigation, early indications suggest a possible connection to a disgruntled former employee. The SAPS is actively investigating the matter and is currently searching for a suspect."
jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za
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