Former Rugby star Luka van Biljon ‘devastated’ after his dad dies from gunshot wounds following horror robbery
FORMER rugby star Lukas van Biljon has been left “broken and devastated” after his father died from gunshot wounds following a horror robbery.
Tragic Andre van Biljon, 70, was blasted three times in the chest on Saturday while his ex-Springbok hooker son was stabbed repeatedly by a gang of armed men.
Six thugs stormed the family’s farm in Oranjeville, South Africa, just after midnight and tied Lukas’ children up with cable ties.
They then crept up to the 6ft 2in rugby star’s bedroom and woke him with a 9mm pointed at his head, before a struggle ensued.
The 47-year-old sustained a number of stab wounds in the tussle before the gang warned him they would kill his three sons if he continued to resist.
His heroic dad Andre heard the commotion and attempted to raise the alarm by alerting his fellow farmers.
But as he made a desperate run to reach a radio, he was spotted by the merciless gunmen who shot him three times.
The bullets horrifically struck him in the chest and he was rushed to the Pelonomi Hospital in Bloemfontein in critical condition.
But Andre sadly succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday and passed away at 1.30pm, leaving his loved ones devastated.
A close farmer friend said: “Lukas is broken and devastated and along with the van Biljon family had been with Andre at his bedside since he was operated on.
“But they were serious injuries and his body family gave out on him. They shot him from close range in cold blood. He was an old man and could not fight back.
“Lukas said he has been greatly comforted by the world of rugby coming together to support him and his family along with the local farming community.”
Farmer Andre died on Tuesday the day Minister of Police Bheki Cele revealed the latest SA crime figures of 6000 people murdered in the first three months of 2023.
Retired ooker and former Sharks player Lukas played 13 times for his country between 2001 and 2003 but was dropped after a string of high-profile nightclub brawls.
His first game was v Italy and his last game was v New Zealand.
South African Police spokesman Captain Loraine Earle said two of the attackers were arrested after local farmers had been alerted and set up road blocks and caught them.
She said: ”Just after midnight on Saturday the police were called to a farm at Oranjeville belonging to the Van Biljon family where two men had suffered injuries.
“It is alleged that six armed men entered the house and tiedup the children with cable ties and a 47-year-old man was stabbed and his 70-year-old father was shot.
“Two men were arrested and charged with house robbery and attempted murder but that charge has now been upgraded to murder following the death of Mr van Biljon.
“We are still looking for the other four men involved in this attack” she said.
The two arrested men Khanye Muthi, 32, and Latin Mofokeng, 42, appeared before Heilbron Magistrate’s Court on Monday in handcuffs and applied for bail and were remanded in custody until June 5.
Farmers in South Africa are under daily threat with 333 brutal attacks throughout the country last year which resulted in 55 horrific murders of men, women and children.
The attacks are usually highlighted by the cruelty inflicted with women often raped and both men and women first tortured with hot irons, power tools and boiling water.
Most victims are then mercilessly shot dead with stabbing and strangulation the second and third causes of death.
In South Africa there are 80 murders a day and over 120 rapes and the crime figures make it one of the most dangerous countries in the world to live with conviction rates extremely low.