Former top cop Piet Byleveld dies
24 May 2017
Cape Town – Former top cop Piet Byleveld has died at the Life Wilgeheuwel Hospital in Roodepoort, west of Johannesburg.
Byleveld – or otherwise known as Piet Byl, had been sedated since last Sunday, and on Monday, doctors stopped all his treatment.
His stepdaughter Virnalize Welthagen previously told Netwerk24 that "it is just a matter of time" before he died.
This, she said, was because Byl was “restless” and could not breathe. His wife Elize is said to have been in his bedside, and was “doing well under the circumstances”.
Byleveld's sister Elize Swart also told Netwerk24 that he was suffering, and that “things don’t look good.”
"He is suffering. We are all hoping and praying every day, but things don’t look good," Swart said.
Byleveld had stage four cancer in both lungs, and it reportedly spread to his spine, adrenal gland and liver.
He retired in 2010 after spending 38 years in service with the police. He was involved in several high-profile cases, including that of Leigh Matthews, Sibille Zanner and Sheldean Human. He was also responsible for the arrest of serial killers Cedric Maake and Lazarus Mazingane.
