On Wednesday morning, March 11, the charred remains of a 2023 Land Rover Defender were placed outside Land Rover Nelspruit.

The wreckage was removed two hours later by Van Wettens Towing.

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Owner Pierre Coetsee says the act was a protest after months of unresolved dispute following a fire that destroyed the vehicle in October last year. The incident has since become the centre of a standoff involving the dealership, the manufacturer, and his insurer.

Coetsee maintains that despite repeated attempts to resolve the matter, he has received no meaningful support. He says the protest was a last resort to draw attention to his case.

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Lowvelder requested comment from Land Rover, but no response had been received at the time of publication.

The full story, including the background to the fire, the findings of a forensic investigation, and how the dispute has escalated, will be published in tomorrow’s print edition of Lowvelder.

* This article has been amended after publishing to include Jaguar Land Rover South Africa’s response.

Read the response here: Jaguar Land Rover SA responds after Mbombela Defender protest