Assassination of attorney Bouwer van Niekerk highlights dangers faced by legal practitioners

The recent assassination of insolvency attorney, Bouwer van Niekerk, has shed light on the dangers faced by law practitioners. 

Van Niekerk, a respected member of the legal fraternity, was gunned down outside his Saxonwold practice on Friday, September 5.

It is believed that four suspects arrived at his business, claiming to have a consultation.

Gauteng police spokesperson, Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, said nothing had been taken from van Niekerk's offices.

The police investigation continues.

At the time, the 43-year-old had been working on high-profile cases as well as a major insolvency case linked to an alleged Ponzi scheme, IOL reported.

In July, Public Prosecutor Tracy Brown, was shot assassination-style by four armed men in front of her house in Gqeberha, in the presence of her partner and minor child.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) national spokesperson, Mthunzi Mhaga, said the motive for Brown's murder was unknown. Two suspects have since been arrested.

In April, another prosecutor at the Engcobo Magistrate's Court, Elona Sombulula, was killed in April.

"The recent killing of prosecutors, who put their lives on the line every day in the pursuit of justice, is deeply disturbing," Mhaga said.

He added that State prosecutors take on their duties with courage and a deep commitment to serving the people, often at great personal risk.

"To target those who dedicate their lives to upholding the law is to strike at the heart of our constitutional democracy. We will not be deterred in our resolve to deliver on our mandate to ensure justice for the people of our country," Mhaga said.

Last year, Advocate Coreth Naude was shot in an attempted assassination while working on a case in KwaZulu-Natal.

IOL reported that Naude, a senior advocate for the South African Revenue Services (Sars), had been driving into the parking lot of an uMhlanga hotel, when armed suspects opened fire at her vehicle. The suspects then fled in a silver Toyota Corolla.

The Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) said violence against legal practitioners is an assault on the rule of law, public confidence in the justice system.

"The constitutional promise that disputes will be resolved peacefully through lawful processes. The LSSA is gravely concerned by the pattern of attacks on professionals involved in complex and high-profile matters," the Society's President Nkosana Mvundlela said.

"Mr van Niekerk’s murder is not only a tragedy for his loved ones. It is a direct attack on the legal system. When lawyers can be lured to a meeting and killed at their place of work, every South African should be alarmed," he said.

Mvundlela called on law enforcement to act with urgency, prioritise the investigation, arrest those responsible, and dismantle any criminal networks behind this crime.

"The profession must be able to do its work without fear or intimidation," he stated.

Looking ahead, Mvundlela said the LSSA will continue to liaise with partners across the legal ecosystem to monitor risks, support affected practitioners, and advocate for systemic reforms that deter attacks on those who uphold the law.

seanne.rall@iol.co.za

IOL