Priceless artwork slashed

2005-05-17 12:17

Borrie la Grange

Johannesburg - Thieves vandalised a Pierneef painting worth millions of rand and stole most of it from the South African Broadcasting Corporation's offices in Auckland Park on Monday morning.

This Pierneef work, Near Golden Gate (1955), has formed part of the SABC's extensive collection of South African art, which is worth about R20m, for more than 25 years. The painting had an estimated market value of R2.5m, Koulla Xinisteris, curator of the SABC's art collection, said on Monday.

Paul Setsetse, spokesperson for the SABC, said employees of the SABC's legal section realised shortly after 09:00 on Monday morning that the painting had been cut from its frame. The painting was normally on display in a passage near the lifts on the 15th floor of the Radio Park building.

The thieves cut the painting of 2.75m by 1.8m with a sharp object and substantially damaged it. About two thirds of the painting was cut from the frame. The remaining part of the oil painting is still in the frame.

The thieves were not caught on camera because the closed circuit television in the passage was not trained on the painting. The thieves apparently slipped past several security guards.

- Beeld