Spiked drugs suspicion in deaths of Pretoria property developer and colleagues

The police are investigating the deaths of a well-known Pretoria property developer and his two colleagues whose bodies were found in an upmarket house in the capital.

Theo Kleynhans, 60, and his colleagues Mario Pretorius, 23, and Chariska Kloppers, 30, were found deceased at Kleynhans's Menlo Park home by his butler on Saturday morning.

A second woman, who was found unconscious at the house, was rushed by Netcare 911 paramedics to Unitas Hospital in Centurion where she is reported to be in a serious condition. Her identity is unknown at this stage.

Kleynhans and Pretorius were found upstairs in the double-storey home, while Kloppers was found dead in a chair on the patio. The second woman was found lying next to Kloppers on the patio.

Gauteng police spokesperson Col Noxolo Kweza, said an inquest docket had been opened. 

“It is too early for us to say what happened,” said Kweza.

Kleynhans was managing director of The Property Management Company of SA.

Pretorius’s Facebook page states he is a portfolio manager at the company.

It is unknown what position Kloppers, mother of two young children, held at the company.

Private investigators hired by the families said Kleynhans had taken the group out for drinks and dinner after work on Friday.

Private investigator Werner Koekemoer of Specialised Security Services said the four had been at a work function at a restaurant in Pretoria East.

“Information we have obtained indicates the group returned to Kleynhans’s house, where they continued to party. The bodies were found by the butler when he opened the house on Saturday morning.

“A lot of alcohol and large quantity of narcotics and prescription drugs were recovered from the house. The narcotics include crystal meth.”

He said their investigation was looking into whether the deaths were linked to the drugs.

“They are being examined to determine whether they may have been spiked.”

He said while no foul play was suspected, “our investigation is also looking into whether anyone else may have been at the house”.

“There were several other company employees at the restaurant.”

A source close to the families said the men were allegedly found with foam on their mouths on Saturday.

“We don’t know what happened. All we know is they went for drinks on Friday after work,” said the source, asking not to be named.

Netcare 911 spokesperson Shawn Herbst confirmed their paramedics had responded.

“There were three bodies, and one person who was in a critical condition. The patient was treated on scene, stabilised and rushed to hospital for further treatment.”

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