Nicolaas Marais Boonzaaier

Nicolaas "Nico" Boonzaaier (1942 – 1997)

Brief overview:

Nico (55), and Anell Boonzaaier, were the owners of the farm De Hoop in the North West Province. On the morning of Sunday, 30 November 1997, they went in to town to attend church and have lunch with friends. While they were away four or five intruders, armed with knives, broke into the house. They gained entry by opening the glass louvre window of the bathroom. They severed the telephone cable and ransacked the house, breaking open various doors. They got hold of a shotgun and a pistol. They ate and drank while waiting for the couple to return. They placed a couch conveniently in front of a window so that they could see when the farmer returned.

The Boonzaaiers returned at about 18:00. Mrs. Boonzaaier opened the garage door for her husband, but when she opened the inter-leading door to the house, she was confronted by the attackers with the shotgun. She tried to close the door, but the attackers were too quick. She ran back towards her husband. One attacker pointed the shotgun at her husband, who told her to run away. She managed to flee and to hide under a farm implement. Mr. Boonzaaier tried to use his own weapon but was shot and killed while still sitting in the vehicle. After the attackers had left, Mrs. Boonzaaier found her husband lying beside the vehicle. Together with two farm workers she ran to the neighbouring farm for assistance.

Brief Biography:

• Other Victims/Family
• Funeral/Memorial
  • Nico's funeral service took place on 04/12/1997 at ten o'clock in the NG church in Glaudina.
• The Farm/Smallholding
• The Region (Land disputes, other incidents etc.)
  • 10 people were murdered during attacks on farms and smallholdings in the North West Province from January to November 1997. The cause of death of 7 out of the 10 victims was gunshot wounds. 10 known victims survived attacks in this province from January to December 1997.
  • Wicus Fouche (35), shot dead in his pickup truck on his farm Avalon, Lichtenberg on 19/01/1997.
  • John Henry Denner (71) shot dead at his farm stall in Lizumpi, Klerksdorp on 06/04/1997.
  • Ebenhaezer Janse van Rensburg (69) shot dead through window at his farm Buffelsvlei, Ventersdorp on 16/06/1997
  • Charlotte Catharina van der Walt (50) shot dead in Geluk, Brits on 06/08/1997.
  • Jan Andries Petrus Swanepoel (50) shot dead on Wolwekraal farm, Brits on 02/09/1997.
  • Hermanus Egbert Pieter Kotzee (49) tied up and stabbed, at Groenpan farm, Schweizer-Reneke on 15/08/1997.
  • Mr du Plessis from Boshoek smallholdings near Phokeng, bludgeoned to death with a hammer on 17/08/1997.
  • Ricardo Tavares de Castro (50) shot dead at Waterval farm, Zeerust on 22/09/1997.
  • Johanna Magrietha Jacoba Slabbert (78) strangled to death at Cyferfontein farm, near Rymsierbuld, Potchefstroon on 29/10/1997.
  • Nicolaas Marais Boonzaaier (55) shot dead on his farm de Hoop in de Hoop farm, Schweizer-Reneke on 30/11/1997.
• Known non fatal attacks:
  • 31/01/1997: Jan Craukamp was ambushed when he arrived at home in Zanfontein, Rustenburg, and held up at gunpoint, the attacker was interrupted and fled.
  • 14/08/1997: Christoffel Viljoen (66) and his wife Martie (61), were attacked in their bed on Farm Gerhard Minnebron, Potchefstroom. Christoffel was stabbed in his mouth, hand and arms.
  • 17/08/1997: Andre Vorster and his family, including his elderly mother, wife Jolene, their son and daughter Elizma and baby Marisa, as well as their neighbour Ben Venter, were attacked by a gang of 6 men. They were locked up and robbed on Farm Sadiba-Kwele, Brits.
  • 02/09/1997: Ella Denner (41) was shot in the hand and robbed during an attack on her smallholding in Zuurplaat, Monnare, Rustenburg. Her housekeeper, Connie Monnare, was not injured.
  • 07/11/1997: Jasper Nell (69), his wife Katharina (61), and his sister Sarie Vorster (67) were attacked by an armed gang on Farm Brakkloof, Swartruggens. Jasper was bludgeoned in the face with a bolt cutter and his jaw broken, he was also stabbed in the back and shoulder with a knife. Sarie was beaten with a walking stick and club, and both arms were broken.
  • 12/11/1997: Antoléne Espach (21) and her housekeeper Lena Molefe, were overpowered and robbed inside the kitchen of their farmhouse in Potchefstroom.
  • 12/1997: Gert Zaayman (60) was overpowered at gunpoint by 6 men, who had also shot his dog to death, but was saved when a visitor arrived, at his smallholding in Carletonville, and the attackers fled.
  • 06/12/1997: Mrs FA Baumont (56) was attacked on her farm in the Rooikoppies area, overpowered, tied up and robbed.
  • 08/12/1997: Babs Labuschagne from Farm Witpoort, near Ventersdorp, was saved by her housekeeper, Betha Molekang, who surprised attackers by her arrival at work. They shot at her, but she managed to escape.
  • 28/12/1997: André Maree, from Roodepan, Ventersdorp, was spared when his answering machine distracted his attackers who fled.

Attack Details:

• Date and time of attack
  • 18:00
• Weapons
• Items Stolen
  • The attackers loaded the stolen articles, including the shotgun, the pistol, jewelry, diamonds, a CD player, and two suitcases full of articles, onto another truck and tried to get away, but eventually they fled on foot
• Investigative officer/SAPS Case No:
• Torture, Gratuitous violence
• Indications of Hate Crime? Threats etc.

Perpetrator details:

• Number and Descriptions
• Arrests
  • A large number of farmers and the police converged on the farm and two of the attackers were arrested in the maize fields nearby the same evening and most of the stolen articles were recovered. Another two were arrested later.
• Name/s and age/s of Perpetrator/s
  • David Masilo (18), Frank Masilo (24), Joseph Tshabalala (19) and Simon Metoa (18)
• Country of origin of Perpetrator/s
• Trial/Conviction
  • All four were indicted in the High Court, Transvaal, on 10 May 1999 on counts of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. The first three were convicted on the charge of murder and each sentenced to thirty years imprisonment. For the robbery Frank Masilo received fifteen years imprisonment and the other two ten years each. Metoa was convicted of the robbery only.

Additional Biographical Information:

• Identity Number : 4205105025085
• Official cause of death : Unnatural causes
• Nicolaas married Gertruida Petronella on 06/03/1965

Comments by the "Committee of Inquiry into Farm Attacks", 2003:

• The attackers came from two nearby villages. Their ages varied between 18 and 24. It turned out that one of the attackers, Frank Masilo, had either worked on the farm previously or had a relative living on the farm.
• One of the attackers told the police that they had gone to the farm to get money and diamonds. It must therefore have become known that the farmer kept diamonds on the farm.
• The attackers went to the farm on a Sunday while the occupants were in town to go to church. This is a typical modus operandi of attackers.
• The dogs on the farm were very tired and subdued when the owners arrived, possibly from a confrontation with the attackers. They might also have been drugged, as has happened in other cases. (One of the accused told the police they had been worried about the dogs, but it is not clear how they overcame the problem.)
• The house was fairly secure with internal security gates. The attackers gained easy access to the house, however, by means of a louvre window at the back. Other cases also demonstrate the ineffectiveness of louvre windows against intruders.
• The attackers obviously waited a long time for the owners to arrive, eating and drinking. The motive for this was probably to get information from the victims or to open the safe.
• The farmer was shot dead without any hesitation. He was shot with his own weapon.
• It is unknown whether the weapons (or the jewelry) had been properly secured.
• There was a speedy arrest. The prosecution was successful and heavy sentences were imposed. The case was finalized only some eighteen months after the attack.
• Both the investigating officer and the prosecuting state advocate were interviewed by Committee members. They were of the opinion that there were no political motives involved, and that the main aim was robbery.

Links to Media articles:

• https://books.google.co.za/books?id=UdYpAAAAIBAJ&lpg=PA5&dq=farm%20...
• https://africacheck.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Final-Report-Com...
• https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0UlqSM-_mwDNWJlZmMxNmYtNGMwMS00Yz...