Father killed by blows in robbery

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I WAS horrified to read the report, "Thieves not convicted of murder" (February 28). How can Acting Judge Justin Laing say the state could not prove that the two criminals had caused the death of my father, Jan Bergsman?

They were in the house, and they beat and stabbed a defenceless 86-year-old man. When we met the doctor who had conducted the post- mortem, he said my father had died as a result of the injuries inflicted by the two.

If this is South African law, no wonder we are the subject of damning international reports on the prevalence of violence in South Africa. See the cover of Time magazine with the wording, "Man, superman, gunman – Oscar Pistorius and South Africa's culture of violence".

This culture of violence is encouraged by people who should be making a difference.