Tassies the clue

2003-08-18 22:27

Linda de Nysschen

Graskop - The much loved writer and story teller Pieter Pieterse was particularly fond of Tassenberg red wine - especially the two-litre bottle.

So said his widow Jenny Pieterse, who he always referred to as the "Englishman", testifying in flawless Afrikaans in the Graskop circuit court.

She was the first witness in the trial of Kenneth Mhlongo, 31, Phillemon Malinga, 22, and Ndukwana Sesh Makamo, 22, accused of murdering Pieterse at his home in Marloth Park last March.

The writer was stabbed 22 times in the head, heart and lungs. He was presumably attacked in the garden while working on his laptop on his latest book.

Jenny was emotionless while testifying how she found her husband's body on Human Rights Day. The last time she'd spoken to him was the previous Saturday. He'd told her not to worry if she couldn't reach him because his cellphone charger was faulty.

Pieterse was probably killed the following day, on March 17. His widow said she suspected something was wrong when she saw some of her clothes lying outside when she arrived. She went looking for Pieterse in their caravan, the well-known Spookhuis (haunted house), but he was not there.

Grim discovery

"I turned round to face the swimming pool. The water was dark in colour, and there was something floating in it. I saw something lying on the other side of the pool. I walked over there, and realised it was my husband," said Jenny.

By means of photographs she identified items found in the possession of the accused which belonged to the couple, including the two-litre Tassenberg bottle.

Three of Pieterse's four daughters, Emsie Nel, Annetjie van Emmanis and Shirley Speed - and his sister Marietjie Coetzee - attended the trail to achieve a sense of closure.

Face to face

Coetzee said it sickened her to see the suspects face to face for the first time. She cried as a state witness told the court how the suspects recounted in prison how they'd murdered the writer.

According to Frans Shabangu's testimony, Pieterse struggled with his murderers. He apparently dragged one into the swimming pool when they pushed him in. According to Shabangu's testimony, Pieterse was stabbed repeatedly with a knife.

Komatipoort dog unit inspector Johan de Beer was first on the scene. He testified Pieterse's arms were tied above the elbows with a rope.

All three accused pleaded not guilty to the charges of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

- Beeld