Maria Gouws

Maria 'Ria' Gouws (1943 - 2008)

Brief overview:

Maria (65), was shot dead in her house in Main Street, Greylingstad, Mpumalanga, on 26th February 2008. She was alone at the time as the children who lived with her were at school. The attacker fired on shot which struck Maria in the chest, and although she managed to get out of the house, she collapsed a few metres away and died of her wounds. Neighbours heard the shot and alerted the police and paramedics.

Superintendent Abie Khoabane said a 27-year-old man entered Maria Gouws' house on Main Street through an open front door at around 09:40 that day. Neighbours heard the shot and alerted police and paramedics.

Brief Biography:

• Other Victims/Family
• Funeral/Memorial
• The Street/Suburb
• 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
  • Police used K9 Unit tracking dogs and found a suspect hiding 500m from the house under a railway bridge where he was arrested. A 9mm pistol found in possession of the suspect positively linked him to the robbery and murder.
• Name/s and age/s of Perpetrator/s
• Country of origin of Perpetrator/s
• Trial/Conviction
  • The 27 year old suspect was to appear in the Balfour Magistrate's Court two days later on charges of murder.
  • No further details can be found.

Additional Biographical Information:

Links to Media articles:

• https://web.archive.org/web/20080229155041/http://www.news24.com/Ne...
• https://www.facebook.com/VFplus/posts/10152590096474453
• https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000194743124822