As police investigate the circumstances surrounding the suicide of Wiandre Pretorius, a Facebook caricature shows him, his fiancée, Juan Mare Eksteen, and their child smiling just hours before his death.
It’s alleged that the 41-year-old shot himself at a petrol filling station in Brakpan on the East Rand on Saturday, 7 February 2026.
According to the South African Police Service (Saps), the incident unfolded in the presence of his partner, a police sergeant, following a dispute.
Argument
National police spokesperson, Athlenda Mathe, confirmed on Sunday that an argument had taken place before Pretorius took his own life.
“We are told that there was an argument between him and his wife before he pulled the trigger on himself. We are still investigating what they could have been arguing about.”
Authorities also retrieved CCTV footage from the petrol station.
“We are studying that particular footage.”
The Citizen has contacted Eksteen for comment. This will be included in the story once received.
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Happy family
On Friday, Eksteen posted a ChatGPT trend of turning photos of people’s work into caricatures. In the post, Eksteen and Pretorius seem happy.
Mathe said police are investigating the incident and confirmed they have registered an inquest docket.
Pretorius narrowly escaped death after gunmen reportedly riddled his car with 16 bullets in an attempted hit in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, on Thursday, 5 February.
Assassinations
Pretorius was named by Witness D, Marius van der Merwe, in his testimony at the Madlanga commission in November 2025.
Van der Merwe was later gunned down outside his home by unknown assailants on 5 December.
Emmanuel Mbhense
He had reportedly testified that Pretorius was involved in the murder of Emmanuel Mbhense, whose body was reportedly dumped in a lake on the alleged orders of suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi.
Mbhense was allegedly tortured and killed by law enforcement officers and private security personnel in Brakpan in April 2022, suffering blunt force trauma to the head before his body was dumped in a Germiston lake.
Mkhwanazi acknowledged being present at the scene.
‘Primary person’
Speaking at the scene of the incident, Mathe confirmed that Pretorius was a primary person of interest in the killing of van der Merwe and had been taken in for questioning.
“We had seized his firearms as well as cellphones that are still in police custody for further investigation.
“That particular investigation is still ongoing, and it is at an advanced stage. We won’t comment further on that, but safe to say that our Gauteng detectives are still on the ground investigating that particular incident.
“So Wiandre Pretorius was one of two persons of interest right after a witness was murdered,” she said.
Persons of interest
Mathe revealed that 12 individuals were considered persons of interest in the Mbhense murder, including Pretorius and Van der Merwe.
“What is of concern and interest is that of those 12, eight are still alive,” she said, adding that besides Pretorius, three individuals were killed in an assassination style.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) recently concluded its investigation into Mbhense’s killing.
The docket is now with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Gauteng.
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