Werner de Jager alleged to have died in jail

Update 16:30

According to an article published by The Witness, Thulani Mdluli, the spokesperson for the KZN Department of Correctional Services, has confirmed Werner De Jager’s death.

Mdluli says De Jager was admitted to King Edward Hospital on April 5, following medical complications.

“Today, DCS was duly informed that the detainee [De Jager] passed away at the hospital,” he adds.

Earlier article:

While no official announcement has been made, well-placed sources have told South Coast Sun that Werner de Jager, the husband of slain Amanzimtoti reverend Liezel de Jager, committed suicide in jail today.

De Jager was supposed to stand trial in the Amanzimtoti Magistrate’s Court on May 10 for his wife’s murder.

Information obtained by the South Coast Sun indicates that De Jager died this morning, allegedly after overdosing on medication. He was detained at Westville Prison after the Amanzimtoti Magistrate’s Court denied him bail in February.

Ian Cameron, formerly of Action Society and now a parliamentary candidate for the DA for the 2024 elections, shared an X (formerly Twitter) post this afternoon about De Jager’s alleged death.

BREAKING: Reports are coming in that Werner De Jager, accused of and awaiting trial for the premeditated murder of his wife, Liezel De Jager almost two and a half years ago has died of an alleged overdose in the correctional facility where he was held in Durban, KZN. pic.twitter.com/qKbYdNpY6W

— Ian Cameron (@IanCameron23) April 15, 2024

“What makes it even more curious is that it happened on the anniversary of the death of the two women in the Free State last year, after an accident he caused,” said Cameron.

The day also marks two-and-a-half years since Liezel died.

No further information was available at the time of publishing.