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Theo Martins Jackson and Willem Oosthuizen, the two white South African farmers who forced a black man into a coffin have been convicted of attempted murder and kidnapping.

A video appeared online showing the two white farmers beating and forcing 27-year-old Victor Mlotshwa into a coffin in an incident that took place in August 2016 and were arrested in November 2016 after the video went viral on social media.

Jackson and Oosthuizen, both 28 years old were found guilty on four counts of kidnapping, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, attempted murder and intimidation.

The case has caused outrage in South Africa and highlighted racial tensions in some farming communities.

Mlotshwa only reported the matter after footage of the assault emerged on YouTube months later.

While explaining the ordeal in court, an emotional Mlotshwa explained how the two white farmers had tied him up for hours and would not listen to him despite repeated pleadings for mercy.

His attackers had threatened to douse him in petrol and burn him alive as well as drop a snake into the coffin.

But in a court affidavit, Jackson and Oosthuizen said they did not mean to harm Mlotshwa but merely wanted to “teach him a lesson” claiming that he had been trespassing on their land. Mlotshwa denied this saying he was taking a short cut to the shops, where he had been sent by his mother.

Supporters of the victim burst out into songs of celebration as Judge Segopotje Mphahlele read out the guilty verdict in Middelburg Magistrates Court on Friday. The judge expressed satisfaction in the case that had been brought forward by the prosecution and that it was clear that the convicted men intended to kill the victim.

“I’m relieved that justice has been served,” Mlotshwa said in an interview with the BBC.

The pair will be sentenced on 23 October. They had denied the charges.