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Insolvency lawyer, Bouwer van Niekerk has been murdered at his offices in Saxonwold
The South African Restructuring and Insolvency Practitioners Association (SARIPA) will engage relevant authorities to demand that the safety of legal and insolvency professionals be given serious attention, urgently.
This follows the assassination of prominent insolvency lawyer, Bouwer van Niekerk. He was shot and killed at his practice in Saxonwold, Johannesburg on Friday.
At the time of his murder van Niekerk was working on high profile cases, including a major insolvency case involving an alleged Ponzi scheme.
Police say four men driving a GMW vehicle came to the practice under the pretence of being clients who had booked an appointment.
Two of the four men entered Van Niekerk’s practice, and while in the boardroom, gunshots were heard.
The unknown men fled the scene and the 43-year-old attorney was declared dead on the scene. The motive of the attack is unknown at this stage and police investigations are underway,” says Gauteng Police Spokesperson, Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi.
SARIPA says Van Niekerk was a respected legal professional, who worked on complex, high-profile matters and often incriminating matters.
His murder comes just over two years after the murders of insolvency practitioners Cloete Murray and his son, Thomas Murray.
SARIPA chairperson, Jo Mitchell-Marais says they will engage relevant authorities to demand that the safety of legal and insolvency professionals is given serious attention, urgently.
“It is heartbreaking and utterly unacceptable that in South Africa, courageous, ethical professionals should have to pay with their lives simply for doing their jobs,” says Mitchell-Marais.
Parliament’s Portfolio Committee chairperson, Ian Cameron, says those like Van Niekerk, who are investigating corruption face the dangers of being executed.
He says that the committee they started last week to follow up with the Policy Ministry on the cases involving the execution of individuals probing high profile corruption cases.
“Bouwer van Niekerk falls among several people in that profession that had been assassinated with regard to matters of State Capture and other serious corruption matters. It is horrendous to see that the names of Babita Deokaran, Thomas and Cloete Murray, and there’s a whole list of people. Unfortunately whom we have not seen the kingpins being arrested and successfully prosecuted. Hope in this case we will see change,” says Cameron.
IRS Forensic Investigator, Chad Thomas says the killing of whistle-blowers tasked with investigating corruption is posing a threat to South Africa.
“Until we see not just trigger men but these masterminds behind these killings taken to task assassination unfortunately is an option for these people that have made billions of rand’s by plunging into the public purse at the expense of our citizens who have nothing to show for it. Service delivery in some areas has come to a halt simply because business forums mafia and connected businessman have corrupted processes and they don’t want this to end, they want to carry on monetising it,” says Thomas.
Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi sent her condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Van Niekerk.
She urged anyone with information to come forward and assist the police to bring the perpetrators to book.
The motive of the attack is unknown at this stage with police investigations underway.
