The Freedom Front Plus welcomed today's court decision in the criminal case against Percyval Matji. Matji was found guilty by the Pretoria Magistrate's Court of murdering Bernadine Kruger, after the evidence overwhelmingly proved that he had purposefully driven into her on 23 February this year.
Matji was initially charged with culpable homicide, but Bernadine's mother, Ms. Elsabe Homan, was not satisfied with it precisely because there was so much evidence which indicated that Matji had on purpose driven into Bernadine. Ms. Homan consequently approached Dr. Conrad Beyers, the Freedom Front Plus' councillor in the Tshwane Metro Council, to take the matter further. Dr. Beyers and Adv. Alberts (then councillor in the Johannesburg Metro Council and presently a Member of Parliament for the FF Plus) therefore investigated the case and found that there were sufficient grounds for a murder charge. The Freedom Front Plus consequently sent supplications to the National Prosecuting Authority to have the charge of culpable homicide changed into that of murder.
The Prosecuting Authority had after some consideration changed the charge to that of murder and on the facts Matji was found guilty of murder today. Dr. Beyers and Adv. Alberts stated that this decision is a milestone indeed to, on top of ensuring justice for Bernadine, also sends a message to all reckless drivers that a high price is to be paid for the taking of another's life. This applies to the taxi industry especially, of whom some members drive as if they are accountable to no one. This decision indicates that a person's life still has value in this country.
Dr. Beyers and Adv. Alberts are together with Ms. Elsabe Homan glad about the decision and hope and believe that Bernadine Kruger's legacy will be one that introduces a period of safer roads in South Africa . The Freedom Front Plus will now be assisting Ms. Homan further in instating a civil action against various parties involved in this matter.
Statement issued by Adv. Anton Alberts, Freedom Front Plus Parliamentary spokesperson, September 10 2009
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