The chairperson of parliament’s portfolio committee on police‚ Francois Beukman‚ congratulated the police on the three life sentences handed down to axe murderer Henri van Breda on Thursday.
Van Breda‚ 23‚ was found guilty on May 21 of killing his brother Rudi and parents Teresa and Martin with an axe in the family’s luxury home at the De Zalze estate in Stellenbosch on January 27‚ 2015.
He was also sentenced in the Western Cape High Court to 15 years in prison for the attempted murder of his sister‚ Marli‚ and 12 months for obstructing the ends of justice by attempting to cover up his crimes.
Beukman said the prosecution was a testament to the “brilliant work” of various police units‚ especially the Stellenbosch detectives branch.
“The committee has always emphasised that the high murder rate in South Africa can only be reduced if the perpetrators of these heinous crimes are arrested and prosecuted.”
Beukman wants the police to replicate the “good work” in the Van Breda case across all murder cases to restore South Africans’ confidence in the force.
“We are hopeful that successful prosecutions will serve as a deterrent to the violent crime challenge currently gripping the country.”
Van Breda’s advocate Piet Botha will hear whether his client has leave to appeal against his convictions and sentences on June 27.
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