The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the Free State have threatened to forcibly shut down the medical practice of a local doctor in Kroonstad, accusing his grandson of murder and burying a man in a shallow, unmarked grave on a farm.
The political party held a demonstration at the doctor’s practice, demanding justice and vowing to close the surgery permanently if the suspect is not arrested by Wednesday. The threat comes after police discovered a decomposed body on a farm next to the road between Kroonstad and Welkom on 20 August 2025.
A case of murder and defeating the ends of justice has been opened. According to police allegations, the deceased was fatally shot and secretly buried on 11 July 2025.
The EFF claims the body was found by police following a confession from a farm worker who allegedly participated in the digging of the grave. Last week, the party had called for the suspect’s arrest.
During the protest at the medical practice, the doctor, identified as the grandfather of the alleged shooter, confronted the demonstrators. In a tense exchange captured on video, a protester can be heard accusing the doctor of involvement, stating, “He shot at them and then he killed one of them. What happened to the body?”
The doctor appeared to admit to a role in burying the body, though not the shooting itself. He is heard saying, “Yes, I know. I know. I did the wrong thing. I should have called the police.” When pressed, he added, “If I didn’t bury him immediately the jackal would have eaten it.”
An EFF representative issued a direct ultimatum following the exchange: “If no arrest is made by Wednesday we are going to come back here and close this surgery permanently so as to ensure that the black man who was murdered… will finally also get justice for the brutal murder of one of their own.”
Meanwhile, police confirm that DNA samples have been taken from the decomposed body in an effort to identify the unknown man. Authorities also state that no arrests have been made at this time. The investigation is ongoing.
