This news aggregator site highlights South African labour news from a wide range of internet and print sources. Each posting has a synopsis of the source article, together with a link or reference to the original. Postings cover the range of labour related matters from industrial relations to generalist human resources.News24 reports that three security officers, together with Stellenbosch farmer Stefan Smit’s wife Zurenah Smit, are believed to be behind the hit which saw Smit found dead on his kitchen floor at his Louiesenhof farmhouse on 2 June 2019.
The day before Smit was gunned down, he celebrated the sale of one of his farms, Watergang, for R45.6 million. His bodyguards, namely Bradley van Eysland, Steven Damon and Derek Sait – together with his wife Zurenah – are accused of his murder in a hit executed two days after the sale. Smit invited over his close friend, Sophia Buys, for dinner, telling her he was glad to be "rid" of the land, as well as the security officers whom he no longer needed to safeguard it. According to Buys, Smit was exceptionally security conscious. Zurenah and Sait are currently on trial in the Western Cape High Court on an array of charges, the main one being the vintner's premeditated murder. Van Eysland has turned State's witness. Damon died last year and his death is the subject of a police investigation. The widow and the security team are also accused of faking security incidents to have the bodyguards' contracts extended while they planned the hit. Zurenah is also charged with forging her husband and mother-in-law's wills, making herself the main beneficiary. Zurenah and Sait pleaded not guilty to all the charges. The trial continues on Wednesday.
Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tammy Petersen at News24 (subscription or trial registration required)
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page