David Broadbent Ronaldson

David "Dave" Ronaldson (1930 – 1998)

Brief overview:

Dave (68), and his wife Faye (65), were retired and lived on a smallholding near Old Wartburg Road, Pietermaritzburg. They were negotiating the sale of their property and were expecting a visit on the day of the attack, 16 March 1998, from a man who was interested in purchasing it.

With the intention of robbing the couple, the 4 attackers proceeded to the property, armed with a pistol. Ronaldson saw someone outside and, thinking it was the expected visitor, opened the door and was shot dead in cold blood by the accused.

Brief Biography:

• Other Victims/Family
  • After Dave was shot, Mrs Ronaldson ran outside, but was forced back inside, taken to her room and assaulted by one of the suspects, who wanted firearms and cash. The attackers started looting the house. Mrs Ronaldson managed to get hold of her revolver and started shooting at the suspects, hitting Ngcobo in the chest. The attackers then ran away with some of the loot.
• Funeral/Memorial
• The Farm/Smallholding
• The Region (Land disputes, other incidents etc.)

Attack Details:

• Date and time of attack
• Weapons
• Items Stolen
  • A stolen clock radio was recovered, as well as the pistol used in the shooting.
• Investigative officer/SAPS Case No:
• Torture, Gratuitous violence
• Indications of Hate Crime? Threats etc.

Perpetrator details:

• Number and Descriptions
  • Four men
• Arrests
  • Ngcobo had the bullet in his chest removed by a doctor at a local hospital-clinic. His fingerprints were also found on the scene of the attack. He and the three other accused were all arrested.
• Name/s and age/s of Perpetrator/s
• Country of origin of Perpetrator/s
• Trial/Conviction
  • One of the attackers escaped from prison in October 1999 before the case could commence. Mseleku turned state witness and the charges against him were withdrawn. The other two were indicted in the Natal High Court in March 2000 on counts of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. They were convicted and for the murder, Silindilo Ngcobo was sentenced to 23 years imprisonment and the younger accused to 15 years imprisonment.

Additional Biographical Information:

• ID Number : 3009115019083
• Official cause of death : Unnatural

Comments by Committee of Inquiry into Farm Attacks, 2003:

• The Committee interviewed the two accused in prison. Despite one of them having actually been shot during the incident, they both deny their involvement in the attack vehemently.
• The accused that escaped from prison had relatives at the nearby Swapo informal settlement, where they might have obtained the necessary information for the attack.
• The farmer was shot dead in cold blood, but the motive of the attackers seems to have been purely robbery.

Links to Media articles:

• https://africacheck.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Final-Report-Com...
• https://web.archive.org/web/20071012091652/http://www.matriots.com/...
• http://web.archive.org/web/20090722151405/http://agriculture.kzntl....
• https://gazettes.africa/archive/za/1998/za-government-gazette-legal...