Loyal, kind and a deep sense of justice — Bouwer van Niekerk’s friends pay homage

Bouwer van Niekerk, the insolvency attorney who was recently killed in what appeared to be a targeted attack, has been remembered by his friends as being far more than the work he diligently performed. 

They described a loyal father and friend, a man of principle who retained his sense of justice, dedication to his work and love for his country in the face of grave threats.

“I’ve never, ever, in the 40 years that I’ve known him, seen such softness and such kindness as I did when he spoke to his son,” said Gerrit Wagner, who had known Van Niekerk for most of his life.

Having both attended Paul Roos Gymnasium with Van Niekerk, as all his friends who spoke to Daily Maverick had, Wagner remembered his late friend as a man of high principle, fierce intelligence and utterly loyal to his family, his friends and his country.

Van Niekerk was the latest victim in a litany of fatal attacks against lawyers, auditors, whistleblowers, public servants and anti-corruption advocates in South Africa in recent years, highlighting once again how at-risk such members of our society are.

On the morning of 5 September, Van Niekerk attended a meeting at his offices in Johannesburg. The meeting was intended to entrap him, and he was fatally shot, with his murderers still at large.

At the time, he had been working on the liquidation of NTC Global Trade Fund, an alleged Ponzi scheme, and had received threats to his life in connection with the matter a short time before.

The SAPS did not reply to Daily Maverick’s requests for comment on the status of the investigation by the time of publication.

Read more: Rising death toll of SA corruption-busters like Bouwer van Niekerk highlights cost of accountability

To those who knew him well, Van Niekerk was far more than his profession.

Wagner fondly recalled his favourite memories with Van Niekerk: “Sitting with a cup of coffee on a Sunday night, playing a hand of cards… Sometimes we would watch a movie; afterwards, he insisted that we debated the morals of the movie.”

Destined for the law

His friends recalled him as being intellectual and argumentative, but also willing to change his mind when presented with new facts or perspectives.

His friend of 26 years, Hannes Viljoen, said he believed Van Niekerk developed his sense of justice after he was exposed to bullying as a young boy. Viljoen couldn’t recall if Van Niekerk was a victim or a witness to the bullying, but said, at that point, “He decided that the little man is not going to get bullied anymore.”

At Stellenbosch University, Van Niekerk studied law and honed argument as a craft. He also attended Bible study courses in which he uniquely demonstrated his ability to present a position, as well as invert it, said Danie Steytler.

He remembered them being assigned a controversial topic to debate, with the class being split down the middle on which position to take.

“We split into two groups and he absolutely annihilated us,” said Steytler.

The teams were then inverted. Steytler’s side had decided Van Niekerk’s arguments had been so compelling that they would merely copy them, sure that they would win.

“He brought us around and annihilated us again,” Steytler laughed, the fondness and pain evident in his voice.

“He was always going to be a lawyer, and a good lawyer at that.”

A creed of loyalty and kindness

Van Niekerk’s utter loyalty and even-handedness defined his character, said his friends.

“If there was one person that I could call at any point in time and you would drop everything… There was only one guy,” said Viljoen.

This was coupled with his sense of fairness and justice. Van Niekerk was loyal but fair, said his friends. Steytler noted that if you were the one committing harm, it would be Van Niekerk who would hand you over to the authorities “because that’s the right thing to do”.

In a 2023 article for News24, following the murders of liquidator Cloete Murray and his son Thomas, Van Niekerk said the profession was “not for the fainthearted” and that “popularity is rarely a prerequisite in obtaining success”. 

Despite the nature of his work, Van Niekerk’s friends recounted many instances of kindness. He performed many hours of pro-bono work, particularly for those who were in circumstances that meant they wouldn’t be able to afford his services, and was more than happy to take on a case if he felt that there was injustice occurring.

This sense of fairness and Van Niekerk’s willingness to change his mind occasionally surprised his friends. When they were studying at Stellenbosch University, the institution was shifting to English as a dual language of instruction. 

Around a braai, Steytler was surprised to learn that Van Niekerk did not agree with the majority view shared by most of those present, despite his own Afrikaans heritage.

According to Steytler, Van Niekerk had said, “It’s correct that Stellenbosch must become English… [or else] we [would be] preventing other people coming in… and you know that’s not right.”

Most courses at Stellenbosch are now offered in dual medium. Steytler recounts, in hindsight, how he respects Van Niekerk’s willingness to take a contrary stance if he believed it was just.

The cost of standing firm

Van Niekerk received death threats before his murder, but they weren’t the first. He had previously required armed bodyguards to accompany him at all times, which came at both a massive personal cost to himself and his loved ones. 

There were occasions where even his friends, who met him for dinner during these periods, felt as though they might be at risk. As his friends recounted, Van Niekerk didn’t take these threats lightly, but he refused to be intimidated by them.

“There were a lot of other lawyers that didn’t want to touch this stuff,” said Viljoen. “That’s when he would put up his hand.”

Wagner said he retained that trait since childhood: “From a young age, he refused to back down from anything or anyone.”

In memoriam

To his friends, Van Niekerk was remembered as a loyal and kind friend, a man who deeply loved his rugby, had a taste for fine wine, and was the first person to go to in a time of need or distress.

The legal profession has called for greater protection for those in Van Niekerk’s position, with the Johannesburg Society for Advocates, the Law Society of South Africa and the South African Restructuring and Insolvency Practitioners all calling for greater action from law enforcement.

Van Niekerk’s parents, Anton and Amy, said in a statement, “We asked Bouwer several times over the past six-and-a-half years whether the risk to his life was worth pursuing these high-profile cases.

“His answer was always an emphatic yes. He argued and believed that if all attorneys who were scared and intimidated were to back down, how will the corruption in society ever be brought under control? He believed in the justice system and was determined to play his role to make South Africa a better place and less crime-ridden country.

“Yes, we are shocked and heartbroken, but we are also very proud of our incorruptible son who tried to make this country a better place for all.” DM