A suspect has been arrested in connection with the murder of Thys van Niekerk (64), a popular civil engineer from Cradock in the Eastern Cape.
RNews previously reported that Van Niekerk’s body was found with knife wounds on 30 August. He lived alone in the house on the farm Uitkyk while he worked as a resident engineer, attached to the company SNA Civil and Structural Engineers, on a road reconstruction project on the R390 route between Cradock and Hofmeyr. He would have stayed in this house for the duration of the project (about three years). This would have been Van Niekerk’s last major road building project. He would then officially retire as an engineer.
Ao. Majola Nkohli, police spokesperson, confirmed to RNews on Friday that one person has been arrested in connection with the murder.
“The police welcome the overwhelming support from the community and other industries, especially the media, whose efforts helped to arrest a 28-year-old on a farm outside Hofmeyr,” says Nkohli.
The police followed up on information about the man’s whereabouts at 10:30 on Friday. He was tracked down and apprehended.
He will appear in Cradock Magistrates’ Court on Monday charged with murder.
The police in Cradock were earlier looking for Andrew Kroukamp (28), who may have answers about the murder.
Van Niekerk’s funeral service will take place on Saturday at 12:00 in the Church Unlimited in Mbombela, Mpumalanga.
