Cape Town – Lobby group AfriForum said on Sunday that there was no foul play in the death of Limpopo farmer Willem Kruger, 29, whose body was found in Vaal River in November last year.
Kruger, from Grobersdal, Limpopo went missing on 13 November 2022 after attending a friend’s bachelor party at a lodge near Morgenzon, Mpumalanga, according to Barry Bateman, spokesperson for AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit.
Nine days later, his body was found inside his bakkie in the Vaal River.
Bateman said that in February, Willem’s father, Tian, approached the unit for help to investigate this son’s death.
According to Times Live, several media reports speculated that Willem’s death was not an accident and that circumstances around his death had been covered up. Some of the evidence cited in these reports included that the keys of his submerged bakkie were recovered from the vehicle’s floor and its handbrake was on with the gear lever in park mode. Investigators were quoted as saying the extent of the damage to the Hilux did not reflect the vehicle having been underwater for nine days.
Bateman on Sunday said the Private Prosecution Unit met with the Kruger family in Pretoria on Wednesday 12 April, to reveal its analysis of the evidence and affidavits gathered so far.
“After a careful study of the circumstances surrounding the death of Willem Kruger, AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit believes that on the available evidence, allegations of foul play are unsupported.
MEDIA STATEMENT: #WillemKruger After a careful study of the circumstances surrounding the death of Willem Kruger, AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit believes that on the available evidence, allegations of foul play are unsupported. pic.twitter.com/jjH49DMqL8
— Barry Bateman (@barrybateman) April 16, 2023
“In a difficult and sometimes emotional meeting with the Kruger family, Advocate Gerrie Nel set out in detail the various findings, which included analysis of the data from the sport watch Willem was wearing; the GPS data from his vehicle tracker; cell phone tower data; post-mortem findings; and affidavits from several people in the area on the night,” Bateman said.
AfriForum expressed its deepest condolences for the family “who has had to endure more than five months of anguish and secondary trauma which has been fuelled by wild speculation about the cause of Willem’s untimely passing”.
Bateman said: “From the outset, the unit made it clear that it would not be led by reports and media speculation and rely solely on the objective facts and corroborated evidence.
“On instruction of the family, the unit will now focus on the private investigators that abused the trauma and desperation of a family to enrich themselves.
“Having said that, the unit must compliment Warrant Officer David Nhlapo who has done a sterling job and who has co-operated with the unit. His detective work, assisted by the unit, has driven the process and edged a painful investigation towards a conclusion.
“There are a few outstanding aspects of procedural nature that need to be included in the docket, as well as loose ends that will finalise the matter, and ready to be submitted to the National Prosecuting Authority.”
Willem’s father said they felt “comfortable that the investigation will continue even after an inquest”.
“As a family we remain concerned that the facts established from the available evidence suggested that Willem behaved in a manner which is uncharacteristic of him,” he said.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
