Key witness in Mooinooi murder case dies in motorbike crash in Tzaneen

An eye witness, turned state witness in the Mooinooi murder case, died in a motorcycle accident outside Tzaneen in the Limpopo province on Saturday.

Wilhelm Loubser (33) and his family were relocated from Mooinooi to Tzaneen under protection from the SAPS and according to his mother, Rachel Marx it was not general knowledge that Loubser was an eye witness in the murder case of Joey and Anisha van Niekerk from Mooinooi.

The coupled disappeared from their farm in the Mooinooi district in December 2017 and their burnt out vehicle was discovered close to Magaliesburg while the remains of the two women was discovered on a farm owned by a panel beater who rented a workshop from them.

According to the Kormorant, the women were taken to a farm owned by the alleged mastermind behind the murders, Koos Strydom who allegedly raped one of them with his [Strydom’s] wife an onlooker.

The Kormorant also reported that the women were hanged and their bodies dumped in rubbish bins before acid and petrol was poured over them and set alight.

Rumours of foul play was suspected regarding Loubser’s death but that was dismissed by members of his family.

According to a friend of the family, Loubser’s wife contacted Marx after Wilhelm did not returned home from riding his motorcycle.

Efforts to contact him were fruitless after which his body was discovered at around 10:10 on Sunday morning by somebody that knew Loubser.

“I stopped at the T-junction on the Deerpark road and saw a number of people standing at the guard rail who attracted my attention,” the person told the LETABA HERALD.

“I switched on the hazard lights, parked my vehicle and walked over to see what was going on.”

“I saw the body and then recognised the motorcycle and immediately knew who it was,” the person continued.

He further told the HERALD that one of the people on the scene had the diseased’s phone in his hand and after he was given the phone he contacted the emergency services.

Initailly there were rumours that a minibus taxi was involved in the incident but that has not been confirmed or denied.

“Loubser and his family was under police protection as Koos Strydom (one of the accused) allegedly tried to interfere with Loubser as a witness as he [Loubser] saw Strydom setting the two bodies alight,” according to initial information but this has since been denied by Marx.

Marx was emotional when she spoke to the HERALD and said that she is waiting for permission to have her sons’ body cremated as he was under witness protection from the police.

The body is currently in a local funeral parlour but still has to be physically identified by Marx who has no doubt that it is her sons’ body.

In the meantime Loubser’s family has been moved to another place of safety.

The HERALD this morning contacted the spokesperson of the National Prosecuting Authority, Luvuyo Mfaku for comment on the possible effect Loubser’s death might have on the case, but is still awaiting a response.

Media inquiries were also directed to the police and once a response has been received from them, the readers will be informed.