A South African farmer has died after being attacked by three knifemen and managing to shoot two of them dead.

The incident took place at Waterfall Farm near the city of East London in the South African province of Eastern Cape over the weekend.

Farm owner Darryl Richter, 34, died of multiple stab wounds after reportedly fighting off three attackers and shooting dead two of them.

Police spokesperson Tembinkosi Kinana said the victim, who was married with two daughters, managed to contact neighbouring farmers for help before confronting the occupants of a suspicion vehicle on a road leading to several farms in the area.

An altercation ensued and Kinana said: “It is believed that three suspects attacked the farmer with knives before he retaliated with his firearm.

“Subsequently, two of the three suspects in their 20s were found in an open field with gunshot wounds not far from the crime scene.”

Agri Eastern Cape rural safety chairperson Alfonso van Niekerk said the victim was still alive when nearby farmers came to his aid and managed to tell them what happened.

He said: “Darryl was still breathing and managed to explain the scene that had unfolded to his fellow farmers.

“During this altercation, Darryl was stabbed, but still managed to shoot and mortally wound two of the three attackers. It is believed that the third attacker fled on foot and was potentially also wounded.”

Van Niekerk also praised the farmers who arrived on the scene to help Richter in the moments before he passed away.

A month ago, John Viedge, 79, was killed on his farm in the area of Nqanqarhu, according to Van Niekerk.

He added: “Once again Agri Eastern Cape is calling on the police to implement their rural safety strategy and increase efforts to prevent these senseless attacks from occurring.”

The police said the motive for the attack on Richter is currently unknown.

The investigation is ongoing.