Shock and outrage were expressed when it became known that well-known Hermanus businessman Herman Pretorius died on Thursday after being critically injured in an attack by two robbers at his home in Onrus.
He suffered life-threatening injuries around midnight on Tuesday (4 September). Both he and his wife were tied up by robbers, who brutally assaulted the helpless couple before making off with household items and their white double-cab Toyota bakkie with the registration number CEM 80.
The badly-injured couple had to lie helplessly for several hours before their domestic worker arrived the following morning and alerted the authorities.
Lourens Theron of Afriforum Alfa Neighbourhood Watch, who also attended the scene, condemned the brutal attack. “What makes it even worse is the fact that the victim (Herman) was walking with crutches,” he said.
He was, however, full of praise for the police and said he was confident they would apprehend the perpetrators soon.“The police responded swiftly. The visible policing unit, detectives and forensics experts finecombed the scene for evidence.”
Eddie Holloway, vice-chairman of the Onrus Vermont Neighbourhood Watch (OnVerWag), confirmed two suspects were reportedly involved in the incident and made off with the couple’s vehicle.Holloway stated the attack came as a big shock, as the Onrus-Vermont area hadn’t had any “serious incidents such as this” in a number of years.
Several sources informed Hermanus Times it is suspected the perpetrators may be part of a syndicate operating from the Cape Metropole, which is suspected of similar attacks in the Overberg in recent years.
Colonel Gustav Tamboer, commander of Hermanus police, confirmed the attack occurred between midnight and 04:00 on Wednesday 4 September and that two suspects were involved.
He added: “Both victims were tied up and assaulted with blunt objects.
The domestic worker discovered them and called for help. The male victim was seriously injured and was transported to Hermanus Mediclinic, where he succumbed to his injuries on Thursday 5 September at 17:30.
The wife had sustained facial injuries.”The suspects made off with jewellery, the vehicle and cash. The vehicle has not been recovered and no arrests in connection with the murder and house robbery have been made yet.
The police did not respond to enquiries regarding whether the suspects might be linked to a syndicate operating from outside the Overberg.
