Helmuth Conrad Eggers

Pastor Dr Helmuth Conrad Eggers (1930 - 2005)

Brief overview:

Helmuth (75), was shot dead, by car hijackers when he pulled over on the N2 north coast highway to answer his mobile phone, on 31st October 2005.

Three assailants approached the couples vehicle who were told to open the window, when Helmuth ignored them, several shots were fired through the closed window. Helmuth was dragged out of the drivers seat, and his wife, Lora, jumped out of the passenger seat, and the perpetrators got into the car and drove away. They crashed the vehicle on the way to Newlands and fled the scene.

Brief Biography:

• Other Victims/Family
• Funeral/Memorial
  • Memorial service at The St Peters Lutheran Church, Konnigkramer Ave, Westville on 06/11/2005.
• 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
  • 3
• Arrests
  • Shamase was charged with murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. In his written plea before the court, Shamase said that he had been approached that day by two friends that day - "Mba and Sibu" - who had both since died.
• Name/s and age/s of Perpetrator/s
  • Felokwakhe Desmond Shamase (23) from KwaMashu, and two accomplices only known as Mba and Sibu.
• Country of origin of Perpetrator/s
• Trial/Conviction
  • 15/02/2007: Shamase was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder and a total of 28 years for the other offences, which will run concurrently with the life sentence.

Additional Biographical Information:

The Helmuth Eggers I knew by Peter Straeuli

Pastor Dr Helmuth Eggers, born on 8th February 1930, was killed in a carhijacking on 31st October 2005. The following is in the way of a tribute to him. My first association with Dr Helmuth Eggers was in the early 90's while my wife and I were residing in Pietermaritzburg as newlyweds. At the time there was no congregation of FELSISA in Pietermaritzburg. Dr Helmuth Eggers made himself available to start a church there and although still being involved in his various businesses on a full-time basis and living in Durban, he whole-heartedly committed himself to this venture. After much hard work and organisation the church was established and Dr Eggers became the first full-time pastor of the Imanuel Lutheran Congregation in Pietermaritzburg. This involved him having to travel between Durban and Pietermaritzburg almost on a daily basis, performing all the regular duties of a fulltime pastor and more. He was particularly focussed on evangelism and outreach and making visitors to the church feel welcome and tried to instill this attitude in us all. I got to know Dr Eggers as being extremely hard working, dedicated and well organised. Everything he did was planned to the last detail. His sermons were always direct, hard hitting and to the point. He always said exactly what he felt was true. This did not always endear him to the listener but I believe that he was always sincere in what he said and did, and that everything was done out of a love for his Lord and a love and concern for his fellow human being. He lived by example, by his hard work and dedication in all he did, and a void that will be hard to fill has been left by his sudden departure. We thank God for his life and for the privilege of having known him. He had a great impact on many of our lives and will be missed.

(Source: https://felsisa.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2006-FELSISA-Witness-1.pdf)

Obituary on page 49 - https://felsisa.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2006-1.pdf

Helmuth Eggers
08.02.1930 - 31.10.2005
Herr, auf dich traue ich,
laß mich nimmermehr zu Schanden werden,
errette mich durch deine Gerechtigkeit!
Ps.31,1
Als Familie danken wir ganz herzlich für alle Anrufe, Besuche, E-mails und
Karten und besonders für eure Gebete.Wir schätzen eure Teilnahme und
Unterstützung sehr.
Mit herzlichen Grüßen
Phyllis Eggers mit Kindern, Schwiegerkindern und Großkindern
(Source: https://felsisa.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2006-1.pdf)

Links to Media articles:

• https://archive.is/DmuDd
• https://eggsa.org/newspapers/index.php/the-mercury/the-mercury-2005...

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Marriage Record: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSVG-P9CN-Q?cc=282...