Family 'identify two SA killers'

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The widow and niece of a British father-of-three killed during a house robbery in South Africa are reported to have identified two of the killers.

Ann Peters, from Cardiff, who saw her builder husband Steve, 53, shot dead, is said to have picked out one of the gang of three from police photographs.

Her niece Siobhan Forman is reported to have identified two of them.

Mr Peters was shot in the neck as he tried to protect his wife and niece at Ms Forman's home in Pretoria.

Police in South Africa are continuing to investigate the murder, which happened early on Friday after the couple flew to South Africa to visit Mrs Peters's terminally ill sister-in-law.

A post-mortem examination on Mr Peters is due to be carried out on Monday. Ann is absolutely devastated but she is determined to do all she can to catch the men who killed her husband Family friend Mrs Peters, 49, is then expected to fly home to the Canton area of Cardiff with her husband's body.

Their children Emma, 28, and Sarah, 24, and a son also called Stephen, 27, were described by friends as devastated.

Mrs Peters, who recently had a triple by-pass heart operation, and her husband were visiting to say their final goodbyes to her sister Mandy Barcoe, 51.

Mrs Barcoe has cancer and emigrated to South Africa more than 20 years ago.

The couple, who had been in South Africa since 5 September, were staying for a couple of days at the home of their niece and her husband David in Rietvallei Park, Pretoria.

Mr Forman was away when the raiders broke into the house at about 3.15am through the bedroom window of Mrs Forman's nine-month-old son Liam.

Mercedes Benz

The robbers brought her baby Liam and Mr Peters's wife from other rooms and held the four at gunpoint on the bed, repeatedly telling them to keep quiet in English and Afrikaans while they spent 45 minutes ransacking the house.

Mr and Mrs Peters are from the Canton area of CardiffWhen the men stood in front of them and demanded the keys to Ms Forman' s Mercedes Benz and to the house safe, Mr Peters stood up and asked them to take anything they wanted but not to hurt the family.

According to Mrs Forman, Mr Peters was then shot and the robbers continued to search the house, making off with a computer, mobile phones and the keys to the family Mercedes.

After leaving, they briefly returned to the house to ask how to put the vehicle into reverse. It was later found in a township.

Mrs Forman, who has been in South Africa since her parents emigrated when she was three, said she and her husband David were now considering leaving.

A friend of Mr and Peters said: "Ann is absolutely devastated but she is determined to do all she can to catch the men who killed her husband".

"The police had a good idea who the suspects were and showed her and her niece some photographs.

"They were able to pick up one of the gang, and the police are on his trail."

The UK Foreign Office said inquiries were continuing and it was offering consular assistance.