Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

Court hears that Schalk Pienaar murder-accused is a repeat offender

Disturbing details about murder accused Tsholofelo Joseph Motsoane’s criminal history have emerged in the Mokopane Magistrates Court where he has applied for bail. Motsoane is accused of the 2022 murder of prominent Mokopane attorney Schalk Pienaar. The accused faces charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder and other firearm-related charges and is alleged to have been the driver of the getaway car.

AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit represents the Pienaar family, who approached the unit for support because of delays in finalising the case.

Pienaar was murdered on 19 September 2022 shortly after arriving at home. He was shot ten times in his driveway. Motsoane was arrested the following month and charged with the crime. A second accused was also arrested but charges against him were later withdrawn.

Yesterday (23 January), the state told the court that Motsoane has a criminal record dating back to 2003 and has been found guilty and served sentences for separate cases of attempted murder, robbery and theft. Notably, he has also been found guilty of escaping from custody while he was awaiting trial on two of these cases.

The state opposed bail on grounds, among others, that Motsoane would abscond, and he would tamper with evidence. The investigator, Captain Ross Rossouw stated in an affidavit read into the record, that at least three other suspects have not been located nor has the murder weapon been found. However, the state argued it has a lawfully-obtained confession from Motsoane, as well as a statement from a witness who links Motsoane to the planning of the murder. In addition, an eyewitness places Motsoane’s car at the scene of the shooting.

Motsoane asked the court to be released on bail on account of his alleged poor health, and that he is incapable of walking without crutches because of a broken leg.

The unit accompanied Pienaar’s widow Fransie and his daughter Bardien to the proceedings.

Fransie said her late husband, as an attorney, believed in the justice system. “He believed anyone had the right to be tried in court. You must have your day. And justice must be done. That’s all we want,” she said.

Fransie says the Private Prosecution Unit’s involvement has eased some of her anxiety. “I understand he will not come back, no matter how hard it is for us. It is very difficult to go through this process, to relive every time I had him in my arms, and he was shot and I couldn’t stop the bleeding. But thanks again. I see that there is progress now that AfriForum represents us,” she said.

The court will hand down it’s judgment in the bail application on Friday, 2 February.

The trial has been set down for 22 to 26 July 2024 in the Polokwane High Court.