The George police community is mourning the loss of two of its own following the deaths of two officers in separate incidents within days of each other. One of the fallen officers were involved in the recent search for Oudtshoorn farmer Saag Jonker.

Sergeant Natan Leander (44) of the Pacaltsdorp Police was stabbed to death at his home on Sunday night, October 25. On Tuesday, Warrant Officer Dewald Vorster (43), a member of the George Public Order Policing (Pops) unit, died while attending dive training in Cape Town, reports George Herald.

While a murder case has been opened following Leander’s death, the circumstances surrounding Vorster’s death remain under investigation.

Hopes that post-mortem will shed light on Vorster’s death

In the most recent case, Western Cape Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed that the Table Bay Harbour Police had registered an inquest following the death of a 43-year-old police warrant officer.

“A post-mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death,” said Twigg.

Vorster was known in local policing circles through his involvement with the George Pops unit. He was the son-in-law of well-known George businessman Dr Willie Cilliers, a former chairperson of the George Business Chamber and current chairperson of the Afrikaanse Handelsinstituut (AHi) Western Cape.

The police have not yet disclosed further details surrounding Vorster’s death, and the outcome of the post-mortem examination is awaited.

‘Dynamic policeman and wonderful father’ remembered

Cilliers said his son-in-law’s death is a massive shock for the family. “Dewald was in Simon’s Town for dive training. Apparently, they would go diving at various places. According to his commander, he was diving in shallow water yesterday when he got up and then just tumbled over.”

Vorster and his wife, Mariëtte, a curriculum advisor at the district office of the Western Cape Education Department, have a two-year-old daughter, Mila, who turns three next Tuesday.

“Dewald was a dynamic policeman and a wonderful father to his daughter,” said Cilliers. “He was recently involved in the search for the farmer Saag Jonker and participated in numerous diving searches over the years. He truly served the community. We still need to process and come to terms with his death, but the family will get through this, and together with the community we will process it.”

Cilliers, owner of Martin’s Funerals, fetched the body from Cape Town himself on Wednesday.

“The police have asked whether we wanted to hold a private or state funeral, but we decided we want to do it privately,” he said.

A celebration of Vorster’s life will be held today at the George Dutch Reformed Mother Church which will be broadcast online.

Police sergeant killed in Pacaltsdorp

Meanwhile, Marionelle Botha (32), accused of murdering the off-duty Leander, appeared in the George Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

The matter was postponed to November 5 for a formal bail application. Botha remains in custody.

The fatal stabbing occurred on Hedge Road in Pacaltsdorp. Leander died on the scene. The case is being investigated by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI).

Leander, originally from the Eastern Cape, joined the police 18 years ago and had served at the Pacaltsdorp station since 2019. Colleagues described him as a dedicated worker.

George Herald approached Leander’s family, who arrived in George on Monday, and a close friend for comment, but none had been received by the time of going to press.

Professional employee health and wellness practitioners were assigned to provide the necessary care and support to the personnel where the members worked, as well as the affected families.

A memorial service for Leander was scheduled to take place at the Pacaltsdorp Congregational Church today, yesterday (October 29).

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