WARNING: This is Version 1 of my old archive, so Photos will NOT work and many links will NOT work. But you can find articles by searching on the Titles. There is a lot of information in this archive. Use the SEARCH BAR at the top right. Prior to December 2012; I was a pro-Christian type of Conservative. I was unaware of the mass of Jewish lies in history, especially the lies regarding WW2 and Hitler. So in here you will find pro-Jewish and pro-Israel material. I was definitely WRONG about the Boeremag and Janusz Walus. They were for real.
Original Post Date: 2007-05-30 Time: 00:00:00 Posted By: Jan
By Norman Joseph
The mother of the police inspector who was shot dead while investigating a burglary in Crawford says he prayed before leaving for work every day and asked her to have faith whenever she reminded him to be careful on duty.
Inspector Martin van der Heyde, affectionately known as “Smiley” to his colleagues, died with colleague Student Constable Johnny Botha, 30, at the Conquest Road house – roughly 3km from Van der Heyde’s home.
Van der Heyde’s mother Lydia said he celebrated his 42nd birthday two weeks ago.
His and Botha’s deaths have brought the number of police officers killed in 2007 to eight.
Colleagues found Van der Hyde’s body in the kitchen while the constable’s body was found in the backyard.
The pair responded to a call on police radios that a burglary was in progress at the home at about 10.37am on Monday.
Neighbours said the homeowners had gone to a nearby shop and, while they were away, a man had broken into the house.
Van Der Heyde entered the house and confronted the intruder in the kitchen.
Botha had, in the meantime, gone round the side of the house to inspect the backyard.
Police suspect Van der Heyde and the intruder got into a struggle. He was apparently hit with a crowbar by the burglar, who grabbed his firearm and fired twice, fatally wounding him. The man then shot through the window at Botha, hitting him in the head.
Botha died on the scene.
The man then took Botha’s firearm, jumped into their patrol vehicle and sped off with the two firearms.
Police spokesperson Inspector Bernadine Steyn said the patrol van – a white Nissan 1.4 ton bakkie – was found abandoned in Cox Road, Hanover Park. The man and the firearms are still missing.
Through tear-filled eyes Lydia van der Heyde said her son was the eldest of her three children. She also has a son, Graham, and a daughter, Ethne.
Her husband Paul was too distraught to speak to the Cape Argus. Relatives and friends poured into the Van Der Heyde home on Monday night.
Lydia said she was at home at 11am yesterday when a police captain and other officers arrived with a paramedic.
Fighting back tears, she said: “I was so shocked when they told me what had happened. He started work at 6am. I always reminded him to be careful, but his answer was that I must have faith because he prayed every time he left the house to go on duty.”
She said her son started at Lansdowne police station as a student constable and had worked his way through the ranks.
He had 23 years of service in the police and was stationed at Lansdowne.
When she broke the news to her husband he was visiting the home of a cousin – Mary Geldenhuys – who died three weeks ago. He had gone there to console her husband Andrew.
“I called my husband to tell him what had happened and to say that he must come home quickly,” Lydia said.
Denver Hess, a close friend of Inspector Van der Heyde, was visibly upset as he arrived at the family’s home.
He said: “I can’t believe it. We had coffee at about 9.30am at my house before he and the student constable left on patrol.”
Police threw a cordon of security around the area where the patrol van was found.
Roads were closed and a huge manhunt – including a police helicopter – was underway for the man, who is believed to be a member of the Laughing Boys gang.
Inspector Steyn appealed to people with information to call the police’s all-hours Crime Stop number on 0860 010 111.