Pieterse stabbed 28 times

2002-03-25 18:15

Middelburg - Author and television presenter Pieter Pieterse, who was murdered at his Marloth Park home near the Kruger National Park last week, died of 28 stab wounds, Mpumalanga police say.

Superintendent Izak van Zyl says the results of a post-mortem show that Pieterse sustained multiple stab wounds to the heart, head and lungs.

Van Zyl says the Maak 'n Las presenter was not killed with an axe, as initially suspected. The wounds were inflicted by a sharp object.

Meanwhile, police are still searching for two men believed to have been involved in the killing. Witnesses spotted them apparently carrying stolen goods near the murder scene.

The 66-year-old Pieterse's badly decomposed body was discovered by his wife Jenny at Marloth Park on Thursday afternoon. Van Zyl said the exact time of Pieterse's death was not clear, but that he had been dead "for days" when his body was found.

"Mrs Pieterse arrived at the couple's home around noon after visiting her family over the past week. She found the decomposed body of her husband outside their house near a swimming pool," Captain Amelia Smith said earlier.

"His arms were tied behind his back with a length of nylon rope."

Mrs Pieterse told police that she had last spoken to her husband on Saturday via cellphone.

According to information he was last seen alive on Sunday attending church.

Police found no sign of forced entry into the home or a caravan on the property. Both were unlocked when they arrived.

An overturned table and laptop computer were found outside near the caravan.

They also found a blood-stained pillow near the table.

A firearm, television set, video recorder, and cellphone were among items missing.

Memorial service

Family members and friends paid their last respects at a memorial service in Pretoria North on Monday morning, SABC radio news reported.

Among the mourners were Zack du Plessis and Danny Pretorius, who are also members of the Maak 'n Las team.

Pieterse and Du Plessis took over presenting the ever-popular Afrikaans story-teller's show after veteran comedian and story-teller Tolla van der Merwe died in a car accident - also in Mpumalanga - in August 2000.

Pieterse published his first short story at the age of 20 in 1956. After that he wrote more than 30 novels. Fourteen were translated into English and one into French.

- SAPA