Two men who ran a camp linked to “gay conversions” have been found guilty of murder, child abuse and assault.

Three teenage boys died after attending the Echo Wild Game Rangers military-style camp which was intended to “make men” out of teenage boys. Raymond Buys died after two weeks in hospital on life support.

He was beaten, starved and forced to eat his own faeces at the camp in 2011. He had brain damage, a broken arm, severe dehydration, and cigarette burns all over his body. His mother was told his chances of survival were “virtually zero”.

Alex de Koker and Michael Erasmus beat Buys with a spade, sticks and a pipe, forced him to eat soap powder and faeces and chained him to a bed when he tried to escape.

His mother, Wilna Buys said “I have mixed emotions, but I’m happy that they were both found guilty and that it’s come to an end.

“I think he’s sitting and smiling down on us and is proud of everything we’ve done. It wasn’t easy to be here all the time, but we made a promise to Raymond.”