‘There’s a hole in my heart and house’ – mother of slain Brandon Pretorius

The two men accused of the murder of the 27-year-old Brandon Pretorius will remain behind bars until Tuesday next week after applying for bail yesterday in the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court.

Yesterday, Ruan Beetge, 35, and Gordan Westraad, 45, were accused of Pretorius’ murder after assaulting him on 25 April. He later died in hospital.

During his bail application, Beetge said he was the breadwinner and relied on his income from TikTok as a content creator.

Theft accusation

On 26 April, Pretorius was out with his younger sister to celebrate her 18th birthday at Malbroer pub and grill when he picked up trouble with Beetge and his friends, who accused him of stealing a cellphone.

The victim’s mother, Lisa Pretorius, burst out in tears when asked about how the family was coping with his death.

“So those guys thought they were God and took away a life? They should have known what would happen if you jumped on someone’s head. It’s cruel, it’s not human,” she said.

‘He was the only one who got me’

Pretorius said she hadn’t slept properly since her son was attacked and died a few days later.

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“There’s a hole in my heart, a hole in my house and a hole in my life,” she sobbed. “He was my firstborn and out of my three children, he was the only one who got me. I don’t know how to explain it. I miss him so much,” she said.

Pretorius said her son was the breadwinner and took care of them, while they helped raise his one and a half year old baby.

She said what broke her heart the most was that he was assaulted in a horrible way, yet he always saw the good in others.

‘He wasn’t aggressive’

“He wasn’t a fighter, he wasn’t a drinker, he wasn’t aggressive, that’s why it is bad that he was murdered so violently,” she said.

Pretorius said her son’s death was life-changing.

The victim’s father, Dawie Pretorius, who stayed at home to take care of his granddaughter, described his son’s death as difficult.

A small group of supporters attended the bail application after footage of the incident was widely shared on social media.

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