Three men die mysteriously at ‘entertainment house’ in Pretoria

Police are investigating the circumstances that led to the death of a well-known Pretoria property developer, Theo Kleynhans, 60, and two of his colleagues at a house in Menlo Park.

Kleynhans, his colleagues Mario Pretorius, 23, and Chariska Kloppers, 30, were found dead on Saturday morning by an employee working at the house.

One other woman was found alive, but in critical condition.

“Police have opened an inquest docket,” police spokesperson Colonel Noxolo Kweza told Rekord.

“The circumstances surrounding their deaths are under investigation.”

Netcare 911 paramedic Shawn Herbst said three people were declared dead on the scene while another woman was treated and transported to hospital.

“The patient was transported to Unitas hospital in critical condition,” he said.

It is believed the group had gone out for drinks on Friday when they later took the party back to Kleynhans’ entertainment house.

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A private investigator handling the case, Mike Bolhuis, said large quantities of narcotics (which included crystal meth) and alcohol were found at the house.

Bolhuis said there were several possibilities they were investigating, including an overdose on a cocktail of drugs.

“There is a possibility that someone brought the drugs to get these specific four to overdose,” he said.

“There is also a possibility that one of the four decided to make a concoction and they overdosed, or that all four decided to make up the concoction.

“In all these scenarios there is a possibility of foul play, unless they themselves concocted, laced or spiked the drugs.”

Bolhuis said investigators were looking at the supplier of the drugs and where they came from.

Also, if they could find out what exactly the mixture was, it would assist the investigation.

“Forensics will give an indication,” he said. “We are doing a third check through the house to establish if anything had been stolen, removed or tampered with.”

This would assist in narrowing down their investigation, which does not exclude the people living in the house, neighbours and or workers.

Bolhuis said the four just looked as though they had just passed out from having drinks and that nothing seemed obviously wrong.

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“The house was used as an entertainment house. The people living close to them were under the impression that it was just another day in paradise and they had just passed out,” he said. “We are also looking at poisoning.”

Bolhuis said it was important to establish whether more people may have been at the after-party. They may have left early and possibly died later at their home.

“We are throwing the net far and wide,” he said.

“We are also checking to see if there were any accidents on that night and if people died either by suddenly passing or overdosing while driving.”

Kweza said the use of drugs would form part of a police investigation.