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Post by mickthecactus on Feb 28, 2018 12:07:20 GMT
For some years now I have bought seed from Silverhill in Cape Town.
This week the awful news broke that Rod and Rachel Saunders, the proprietors, have been kidnapped and possibly murdered. Their car was found 200 miles from where it had last been seen and £20,000 taken from their bank account. Apparently they were looking for a particular Gladiolus.
Although I have never met Rachel she had become a really good friend and often let me know they had some special seed I might be interested in even though it was not in the catalogue.
There have been 3 arrests so far but no sign of them.
What a sorry world this can be.
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Post by onlyMark on Feb 28, 2018 13:02:19 GMT
And what do they really hope to achieve by doing this? For money, for terror or what? There are connections apparently with ISIS/ISIL.
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Post by mickthecactus on Feb 28, 2018 15:33:46 GMT
It’s just so sad that it has happened to two lovely people who have never hurt anybody.
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Post by bixaorellana on Feb 28, 2018 16:48:25 GMT
How absolutely horrible, and particularly close to home for you, Mick, as the lady has become your friend in the time you've dealt with her.
And it seems that most people who are kidnapped only committed the "crime" of being perceived as wealthy or perhaps being of the "wrong" citizenship.
Fervent hopes that the couple is found unharmed soon.
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Post by mickthecactus on Feb 28, 2018 17:17:28 GMT
I’m hoping tod2 sees this thread as she might be able to get up to date information.
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Post by tod2 on Mar 7, 2018 8:06:06 GMT
This is the first I have heard of this. I Googled their names and see they were abducted up here in Kwazulu-Natal near the town of Vryheid. It does not seem that it had anything to do with local people who chanced upon them in the veld. That would have just been a strasight forward robbery of cell phones, watches and cash/jewelry.
I will look and see what our newspapers say today. I don't watch our local TV news channels as I am always looking at SKY News, but will tune in today and see whats being reported.
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Post by mickthecactus on Mar 7, 2018 8:26:26 GMT
Thanks tod. Appreciated.
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Post by mickthecactus on Mar 11, 2018 22:08:13 GMT
Any news?
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Post by bjd on Mar 12, 2018 6:46:45 GMT
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Post by mickthecactus on Mar 12, 2018 7:10:03 GMT
Yes, that was the last I heard too.
Thanks bjd.
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Post by tod2 on Mar 16, 2018 9:08:02 GMT
Mick - sorry to be slow in coming forward in regard to this, but sadly I have absolutely nothing to report. No mention of it here in our local news. Looking at "Silver Hills Seeds" on Google I read on News24 that a third suspect has been arrested with stolen property.
The names of the first two people that were arrested are very strange - to me anyway.
Sayfydeen Aslam Del Vecchio, 38,- First two of his names seem Indian but Del Vecchio? Got to be Italian. Fatima Patel, 27 is definitely an Indian name and I'm guessing is a female. I've never heard of a man being called Fatima.
My honest opinion and fear is that they are not alive. It's taken too long for them to re-surface somewhere else. Prisoners have to be fed and well hidden which is a problem.
Forgive me being suspicious about the third arrest with stolen property - could have been taken off dead bodies lying in a shallow grave. I hope with all my heart this is totally not true.
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Post by mickthecactus on Mar 16, 2018 10:32:27 GMT
Thanks tod. It’s old news now and unlikely to be revived unless they are found dead or alive.
I did read that they are thought to be buried in the Ngoye forest.
The nursery is still operational.
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Post by tod2 on Mar 18, 2018 9:39:38 GMT
Thanks Mick - The police are really dragging their heels in my opinion.
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Post by mickthecactus on Mar 18, 2018 11:17:24 GMT
It certainly looks that way.
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Post by mickthecactus on Mar 27, 2018 8:58:38 GMT
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Post by kerouac2 on Mar 27, 2018 10:29:41 GMT
Being killed would normally be as bad as it gets, but being left for the crocodiles to eat is the final indignity.
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Post by mickthecactus on Apr 3, 2018 7:53:49 GMT
On March 29th confirmed they have been murdered and their bodies thrown into the Tugele river. They have not yet been found.
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Post by tod2 on Apr 5, 2018 11:52:46 GMT
I am finding it hard to believe this monstrous act is not newsworthy here in SA. No newspaper story, no TV report - just a deathly silence. To me that means other investigations must be underfoot or what? I think it should have been put into news bulletins so that the general public could have come forward with any information which could have helped the police.
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Post by mickthecactus on Apr 17, 2018 9:14:13 GMT
A decomposing body has now been found in the river.
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Post by questa on Apr 17, 2018 12:10:45 GMT
Tod, would the general public have come to report anything to police. I have the image of a country where even the good citizens like to keep a respectful distance from the constabulary.
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Post by tod2 on Apr 22, 2018 14:58:26 GMT
Yes, you are right about keeping a respectful distance. Just like Manuel in Faulty Towers the mouths utter " I know naaarthing!". Probably because they don't want the cops snooping around their own mischief.
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Post by mickthecactus on Apr 26, 2018 10:31:41 GMT
The body has been identified as that of Rod Saunders. Rachel has yet to be found.
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Post by tod2 on May 2, 2018 16:54:03 GMT
Oh I am so sorry and completely puzzled as to why NOTHING has even been mentioned on any news report here. It's like it didn't really happen.
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Post by mickthecactus on Jun 15, 2018 11:18:55 GMT
Reported on BBC news that the remains of both bodies have now been found.
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Post by tod2 on Jun 29, 2018 16:46:26 GMT
Mick, there must be some undercover operation going on. Not ONE word has ever been uttered in our news papers or TV News bulletins about this terrible murder. I'm dumbstruck because all sorts of other insignificant murders ( yes they are routine killings and the nation is very blase` about them) But not a Dicky bird about this wonderful elderly couple. I'm at a loss.
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