Chris van Heerden: ‘One man was comfortable shooting my dad, because it’s political’

In an impassioned video message released on his social media account on Sunday evening, boxer Chris Van Heerden issued a plea to the country in the wake of his father’s alleged murder on Thursday.

The boxing world and Meyerton community have been in shock following news that Daniel Christoffel van Heerden was shot, allegedly in cold blood, following a confrontation with a security guard in his home town.

ALSO READ: Shocking video emerges allegedly showing murder of boxer Chris van Heerden’s father

The victim was father to 13 children, including former IBO welterweight champion Van Heerden, who is based in Los Angeles in the US. Another of his sons is MMA fighter Danie “The Pitbull” Van Heerden.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Lungelo Dlamini confirmed to The Citizen on Saturday that the suspect was arrested and is still in custody. He will appear in the Vereeniging Magistrates’ Court in Gauteng on Monday.

In Chris Van Heerden’s message on Sunday, he said he did not believe that “every black man is a murderer or a bad person” and he had not been raised as a racist by his father, who he said had also not been a racist.

Van Heerden then referenced “one political party” that had said “kill the white man” and asked: “What about that is okay? That is what is happening in South Africa. It’s politically motivated … the killing of the white man. And it is wrong.

“That’s why one man was comfortable shooting my dad … because it’s politically motivated. This needs to stop.

“I’m not a racist, but this is the truth. Face it.”

He said he would use his platform as a well-known boxer to bring attention to the issue because South Africa “needs help”.

He said he received love and support from all races in South Africa and he had “black brothers and white brothers … I love them all, they love me”.

“I get support. But let’s be honest … somebody needs to step in and bring order in South Africa. It is not okay to shoot another man or take another man’s life. It should not be okay to kill another man, black or white.”

Watch the video:

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