Nic Meyer murder, Sinoville: killers jailed 22 yrs

Afrikaner electrical contractor Nic van Zyl Meyer 's two black killers were sentenced to 22 years in prison by Pretoria High Court

March 29 2011 - The two black murderers of Pretoria electrical contractor Nic van Zyl Meyer, 52, – who was strangled and dumped half-naked at a rural site outside Sinoville on 6 Dec 2005 --  were ordered to spend 22 years in prison for killing the much-liked Afrikaner businessman, judge Vivian Thlapi ruled in the Pretoria High Court. (source:Jeanne-Marié Versluis, Beeld, who attended the trial).  http://www.beeld.com/Suid-Afrika/Nuus/Lyk-in-die-veld-Twee-kry-22-j-20110328

The independent businessman of Bon Accord, Pretoria was attacked on 6 December 2005: testimony was that the two murderers had tied him up before strangling him – and then dumped him half-naked in Sinoville, said Judge Thlapi in her summary. Sentenced for killing the Afrikaner family-man were Dumisane Shabangu (37 and Thulani Ndlovu (33). “The killers never apologised to the family”, the judge pointed out. The family said after the judgment that they will always refuse to accept the defence’s  claim – as submitted in court -- that Mr Meyer was attacked in the room of a prostitute, that he was ambushed and killed there. The defence argued that Meyer himself ‘had thus put himself in harms’ way’ – i.e. that he basically was responsible for his own death because of his own alleged presence in the room of a woman of ill-repute. However the judge rejected this defence argument, saying that it was not the Court’s role to judge someone’s personal life. “It is against the law to take someone’s life,’ said judge Thlapi.

The Meyer family will never believe the defence claim. Instead, they believe that Mr Meyer was hijacked shortly after leaving the smallholding of a business-friend who was having a barbeque, and which one of the Meyer sons had also attended. The family believe that the electrical contractor was  hijacked in his bakkie after leaving; that he was tied up, strangled, loaded into his Hilux-bakkie and dumped at the rural site. The family believe that the defence story about the prostitute was a fabrication. One of his sons testified that he had seen his father leave the barbeque not long before    – and that many questions about his last moments remain unanswered: for instance his vehicle, which could have yielded forensic evidence, remains missing.  Further testimony was that shortly before Mr Meyer had left the barbeque, he had also telephoned his wife Riana, telling her he’d be home very soon. Judge Tlhapi said in her judgment-summary that 'Meyer had been a respected businessman. Shops were closed and a guard of honour was formed at his funeral. He also had a special relationship with his workers, was a loving husband and looked well after his family. After his murder his business had to be sold. " http://www.beeld.com/Suid-Afrika/Nuus/Lyk-in-die-veld-Twee-kry-22-j-20110328

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