Jan Boshoff

Jan Boshoff (1952 – 2019)

Brief overview:

Jan (67), passed away the morning of 02/04/2019 after a brave battle. His life partner was also grazed by a bullet during the smallholding attack.

Just after 21:00 on 27 March 2019, in Central Road, Sunrella, a tenant who had moved into the cottage during the past weekend heard a knock on his front door. He opened the door and was attacked by three extremely aggressive and brazen gun wielding suspects wearing balaclavas, one armed with a shotgun.

He tried to fight them and was shot in the stomach and leg with the shotgun. A female inside the house (relation unknown) was grazed on the leg by a bullet. Other residents on the property who heard the shots went out to assist the victims.

The suspects fled empty handed.

Although they only saw three, five suspects were seen fleeing and jumping over a back wall. The shotgun has figured on many shooting incidents.

Brief Biography:

• The Victim and Family
  • A female inside the house (relation unknown) was grazed on the leg by a bullet.
• The Farm/Smallholding
  • Smallholding on Central Road, Sunrella,
• The Region (Land disputes, other incidents etc.)

Attack Details:

• Date and time of attack
  • 21:00 on 27/03/2019
• Weapons
  • Shotgun
• Items Stolen
  • Nothing
• Investigative officer/SAPS Case No:
• Torture, Gratuitous violence
• Indications of Hate Crime? Threats etc.

Perpetrator details:

• Number and Descriptions
  • Three extremely aggressive and brazen gun wielding suspects wearing balaclavas, one armed with a shotgun, five suspects were seen fleeing and jumping over a back wall
• Arrests
• Name/s and age/s of Perpetrator/s
• Country of origin of Perpetrator/s
• Trial/Conviction

Links to Media articles:

• http://archive.fo/aImSM
• http://archive.fo/84qf2

Additional Biographical Information:

A Tribute to Jan Boschoff
It is with deep regret that we note the passing of Jan Boshoff, who was a loyal employee of Geomechanics for 13 years. Jan’s enthusiasm and exuberance will be sorely missed by all those in the GeoGroup family.

His skills in the field were unmatched, particularly during difficult access drilling investigations which involved helicopters, mountains, barges, lakes and rivers. His most notable achievements in the company were during the Cahora Bassa North Bank Power Station investigation, the Moatize Nacala railway line investigation, the Fufu and Mpatamanga hydropower investigations in Malawi and more recently the Senqu dam project in Lesotho.

‘Jannie’, ‘Jan maak n plan’, ‘Bosveldt Bull’, these are just a few of the nicknames he managed to gather along his journey. His huge heart, fear of nothing and endless energy will be an indescribable loss to his Geomechanics family. He was a man who cared for everybody - no matter what you needed he was there. He was innocent, honest and as mischievous as a child. He brought laughter wherever he went and everyone who worked with him in the field has many stories to share. He walked through herds of buffalo when others would walk around. He picked up puff adders and boomslangs with his bare hands. He caught a monkey in a trap and gave it a hiding for stealing fruit from the kitchens; and all this with a sense of amazement that no-one else handled things quite the same way.

We can’t quite believe that he isn’t going to burst through the office door with a grin on his face, and laughter in his voice as he shouts, “Come Soutnekke, let’s move it!”.

Our sincerest condolences go out to his family

From: http://archive.fo/84qf2