Farmer left with severe injuries after confrontation over stolen sheep
Three men accused of stealing livestock and savagely beating a well-known West Coast farmer appeared briefly before the Circuit Court in Lamberts Bay on Monday, as dozens of local agricultural workers gathered outside demanding they remain behind bars.
Clive Boois (27) and Marlon Booysen (25) face charges of attempted murder, aggravated robbery and livestock theft, while Anthony Storm (28) has been charged with livestock theft. The accused have not yet applied for bail, and the matter was postponed to May to allow for further investigation, including an identification parade.
According to state allegations, Hugo Louw (64) — a farmer, musician and storyteller from the Lambertsbaai district, widely recognised by his stage name Hugo Droogte — offered Boois and Booysen a lift along the R365 last Thursday. During the journey, Louw reportedly questioned the pair about the contents of a plastic bag in their possession, which turned out to contain a slaughtered sheep. The two men then allegedly attacked him with a sharp steel pipe, leaving him critically injured on the roadside.
A passing motorist discovered Louw shortly afterwards and summoned Dr Johan Hayes, a long-serving medical practitioner in the town. Hayes found the farmer conscious but unable to see owing to the severity of his wounds. Realising an ambulance would take too long, the doctor transported Louw to his own consulting rooms for emergency treatment before arranging a helicopter transfer to Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital in Cape Town, where Louw has since undergone two surgical procedures.
"I gave him a drip in my consulting room and noticed the obvious fractures on his right hand. His head was smashed and I could see he had damage to his cheekbone. The wounds on his hands and arms are a clear sign that he tried to stop them from hitting him over the head," says Hayes.
Agricultural body calls for bail to be refused
Boois and Booysen were apprehended soon after the incident, found in a nearby forest wearing blood-stained clothing. The pair reportedly informed police that Storm had participated in livestock theft the evening before the assault. Louw's cellphone was also recovered from the suspects. The court heard that all three accused have pending criminal matters against them.
Western Cape MEC for agriculture and economic development Ivan Meyer joined farmers at the courthouse in a peaceful demonstration urging that bail be denied. Agri Western Cape submitted a formal memorandum to the court calling on the state to oppose any future bail application by the trio. JD Strydom, Agri Western Cape's chief executive, argued in the document that the accused posed a flight risk and that their release could threaten public order and the safety of rural residents.
"The attack on Hugo caused widespread shock, anger and anxiety among members of the community. The fact that he was violently assaulted and left for dead increased the emotional impact of the incident. Rural communities often feel vulnerable due to their geographic isolation and limited access to immediate law enforcement support," the memorandum reads.
Local farmers have reported a sharp rise in livestock theft across the region in recent months, with some suggesting the methods allegedly employed by the three suspects bear similarities to previous incidents. Hayes described Louw as a gentle individual who "would not get involved in a violent confrontation", underscoring the community's outrage over the attack.
