Jo-Marie Kotze testifies

 

I stayed with my father during the December holidays in 2011.

My father phoned me while I was on the bus to Pretoria on the 3rd of January, where I was on my way to go visit my father again. He told me to have a safe trip.

He phoned me again later – bus made a noise – he hung up – and phoned me again afterwards. My father would’ve picked me up. Spoke to him again at about 14:00. Asked me where I was. I said I didn’t know yet, and told him to wait for me to check the road signs to be able to tell him. Think I was in Centurion at the time when he asked me where I was. He told me that Dirkie would pick me up in Pretoria, as it would save him the trip (Dirkie, is Dirk van der Merwe's son). Dirkie picked me up. The bus in Pretoria was late. Spoke to my father again at about 16:00-16:30 as he phoned again. Said he had caught “Tannie Ina” with another man and that he was very disappointed as he loved her very much. I told him “Pa, los haar net uit, ons het haar nie nodig nie”. Never saw Ina Bonnette during my visit to my father.

My father picked me up on 15 December – I was with him on Christmas, the 26th he bought a bus ticket for me to go back to my mother's. Father dropped me off at bus station on 26th – I went back to my mother in Bloemhof. Never saw Bonnette during this time. On Christmas, we had lunch with friends in Warmbad. We would’ve gone camping at the dam in Bela-Bela after the 3rd of January. My father, myself and two of his friends.

My father sounded normal throughout the day of the 3rd.

He was out of breath during the last phone call. I wasn’t worried about my father though. I wondered why he told me not to come home, but I never suspected anything.

My father only phoned me again on the day of his arrest. Don’t know whether it was before or after his arrest.

I remember him telling me it’s my matric year and I should give my best. Told me to take furniture and my motorcycle from his house. (Starts crying)

My father never exposed me to any problems him and Bonnette had, he didn’t want to worry me. I never lived with them. He only always said “dit gaan nie goed met hulle nie”

Jo-Marie starts crying. Kotze’s advocate walks over to him for final instructions before concluding cross-examination. Jo-Marie looking over at her father, tilted head, wiping away tears with a tissue.

Jo-Marie leaves the witness stand.

Image: Karin Labuschagne