'Dominee' repeatedly knifed

2008-04-07 07:42

Carla Mouton

Ventersdorp - A farmer nicknamed "Dominee" because he spoke so pleasantly to everyone has been murdered with a knife in his bed.

Pieter Heyneke, 68, of Witpooort farm between Ventersdorp and Potchefstroom had had his girlfriend, Riekie Nortman, 46, with him.

Daleen Toxopëus, 39, Heyneke's daughter, said on Sunday that Nortman had woken up early on Saturday morning with something against her throat.

She turned her head to Heyneke and saw that one of the attackers was on top of him and was repeatedly stabbing him with a knife.

Another one of the attackers had her by the throat and, in fluent Afrikaans, kept asking her, "Where is the money?"

"No one could say anything. My father tried to get up. When Riekie screamed they fled with a cellphone and a pistol."

Break-in two weeks ago

She called for her son, Dennis, the only person of whom she could think.

"They probably thought he was also in the house," said Daleen.

Her husband, Bertus, said that Heynekes house had been broken into two Sundays ago.

"Two of his old cellphones were stolen. The same door had been used again to gain access.

"We told Dad to replace his locks, but he believed in the good things in life.

"He would never repay violence with violence."

Bertus said that Nortman, who had been involved with Heyneke for the past two years, was still extremely traumatised.

After the attack, she had called Heyneke's son, Chris, 41, who farmed on a neighbouring farm.

By the time Chris arrived, his father was dead.

"She can't stop shaking. She is with family in Rustenburg now."

Heyneke, who left behind three daughters, a son and seven grandchildren, had been a "people person" according to Bertus.

"When I drove... to tell the workers that he was dead... they cried like babies," said Gerhard Koen, Heyneke's other son-in-law.

Was good to all people

"He didn't have a cent, but if his workers wanted to borrow money from him, they wouldn't walk away without it.

"My father was good to all people," added Elrina Koen, 35, Heyneke's daughter.

"His nickname was 'Dominee' because he spoke so nicely to people," said Bertus.

"He was a gentle person who knew how to work with others."

- Beeld