Claudia van der Merwe

Claudia van der Merwe (1980 - 2013)

Brief overview:

Claudi (33), a Hendrina guest house manager in Mpumalanga, was murdered and her body was was found half-hidden in a water pipe near Breyten. Her throat was cut and stabbed twice with a sharp object. A tractor driver, who worked on the Kromkrans farm along the Hendrina/Breyten road, found Claudi's body on Saturday around 9am, when he saw hands sticking out of the drainpipe. She was last seen alive on Friday afternoon when she sent home staff from the guesthouse.

Police suspect Van der Merwe was robbed at the guesthouse but not killed there. Police found her vehicle about a kilometre from the scene in a ditch along the road. Police found blood splatters on the side of the car, as well as on the boot. A bloodied fingerprint on the left rear door and a bloodied palm on the boot. A black plastic bag was found next to her blood-soaked garments. Her handbag and purse were in the car, but empty. The possibility is also being investigated that Van der Merwe was raped, as her trousers were pulled open, and half down, Leonard Hlathi, provincial police spokesman, said.

Footprints found along the Picanto are similar to those discovered at the guesthouse. Police are looking for a man who wore overalls, a man wearing such clothing was seen by an eyewitness in the field at Picanto on Friday night.

Brief Biography:

• Other Victims/Family
  • Claudi is survived by her daughter Anja, who was six at the time.
• Funeral/Memorial
• The Farm/Smallholding
• The Region (Land disputes, other incidents etc.)

Attack Details:

• Date and time of attack
• Weapons
• Items Stolen
• Investigative officer/SAPS Case No:
  • Investigating - W/O Paul Morkel of the Breyten Police Department, 072 464 6661 or W/O. Samuel Sibeko, 082 494 4361.
• Torture, Gratuitous violence
• Indications of Hate Crime? Threats etc.

Perpetrator details:

• Number and Descriptions
• Arrests
• Name/s and age/s of Perpetrator/s
• Country of origin of Perpetrator/s
• Trial/Conviction

Additional Biographical Information:

Links to Media articles:

• == (19 - 20)

Brief overview:

Brief Biography:

• Other Victims/Family
• Funeral/Memorial
• The Farm/Smallholding
• The Region (Land disputes, other incidents etc.)

Attack Details:

• Date and time of attack
• Weapons
• Items Stolen
• Investigative officer/SAPS Case No:
• Torture, Gratuitous violence
• Indications of Hate Crime? Threats etc.

Perpetrator details:

• Number and Descriptions
• Arrests
• Name/s and age/s of Perpetrator/s
• Country of origin of Perpetrator/s
• Trial/Conviction

Additional Biographical Information:

Links to Media articles:

• https://web.archive.org/web/20130801012029/http://www.beeld.com/nuu...
• http://archive.is/jKBfq
• http://archive.is/ZgmVt
• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Oct 8 2022, 6:17:26 UTC