WORCESTER – They shot him twice and stabbed him multiple times before putting his body in a wheelie bin, which they then dumped in a municipal waste container and poured petrol over it and set it alight.
This gruesome act by four men from Avian Park, Worcester cost them their freedom, and each was sentenced to life imprisonment in the Worcester Regional Court on Wednesday (9 September).
The convicted killers, Ignatius Blaauw (29), Elvis Louw (26), Noagh Bosman (24) and Bronwill Mckay (24), had pleaded not guilty to their murder charges.
According to Sgt Lonwabo Dlwati, who had led the investigation, their conviction and sentencing was the culmination of a very sobering day, 15 October 2023, in an informal settlement in Avian Park.
Shortly before 08:00 on the day police received information of a body on fire. “When we visited the scene the body was still burning. The fire and rescue services were summoned to extinguish the fire. The body was burnt beyond recognition.
“The deceased is still unknown. We tried by means of DNA to check if we had him on a data base.
“Unfortunately he wasn’t, nor were there any reports of a missing person.”

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According to Dlwati the witness told police shortly before the incident occurred he had heard the deceased and his four attackers arguing outside.
He said when she peeked through the window she saw one of the men fire a shot at the deceased, which hit him in the back.
Dlwati said after the deceased fell to the ground his attackers picked him up and stabbed him multiple times. When he fell to the ground the second time one of them shot him in the head.
Dlwati said this is when the men loaded the deceased in a wheelie bin, while another went to fetch a can of fuel, and they dropped. And, as said before, once they dropped th wheelie bin into the container they poured fuel onto it and set it alight.
After police had obtained a statement the suspects were arrested the same day, Dlwati said.
He said the witness was first placed in a place of safety before being put on a witness protection programme.
Col Christine Fourie, commander of the Worcester Detective Service applauded Dlwati and the two retired police officers, Capt Herold Josephs and Capt Wilhelm Jones, who assisted him throughout the investigation.
“Through thorough investigation and dedication Dlwati secured this sentence,” she said. “We must also not forget the role of the National Prosecuting Authority and the guidance it gives.
“But the sentence does speak of the hard work that was put into the investigation.”