Burglars target former Sars executive Johann van Loggerenberg’s home

Former South African Revenue Service (Sars) executive Johann van Loggerenberg’s home has been broken into.

This comes just days after burglars targeted state capture whistleblower Themba Maseko’s home.

Van Loggerenberg released a statement through his legal representatives, Werksmans Attorneys, on Tuesday, saying that his home was targeted in the early hours of Tuesday morning, by criminals

He said that he had every reason to believe that this was no ordinary crime.

“Entry was attempted with some sophistication via various entry points at my home in a very suspicious manner,” said Van Loggerenberg.

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“I have reason to suspect that there is a possibility that it was no ordinary crime. Four very distinct indicators of the house robbery suggest that it may not have been ordinary criminal conduct. I am deliberately not explaining these as it may be of value to the police that are investigating the matter.”

Calls for protection of whistleblowers

Amnesty International South Africa back in November said it was concerned about the protection of whistleblowers after author, speaker and whistleblower Athol Williams said he had been forced to leave the country as he feared for his life after his testimony before the Zondo commission.

Williams said the government had failed to provide him with protection after receiving warnings from trusted allies and a civil society organisation about threats on his life.

Van Loggerenberg echoed the same sentiments, saying it was “no secret that whistleblowers in South Africa remain under severe and constant strain on many levels with absolutely no support from the government.

“We only have to refer to well publicised cases where whistle-blowers and state witnesses had been assaulted, threatened, surveilled, murdered, or had to leave the country for their own safety. Many of us have been victims of suspicious house invasions, theft and threats. I am not the only State Capture witness who has been a victim of a break-in in the last week.”

He has since pleaded with the government to take decisive action to protect whistleblowers and not delay any longer.

“The continued inaction and tardiness of the government in dealing with the entire topic of whistle-blowers spells disaster for our young and developing constitutional democracy,” he said.