LAW SOCIETY OF SOUTH AFRICA CONDEMNS THE ASSASSINATION OF JOHANNESBURG ATTORNEY BOUWER VAN NIEKERK AND CALLS FOR URGENT PROTECTION OF LEGAL PRACTITIONERS
8 September 2025
Press release
LAW SOCIETY OF SOUTH AFRICA CONDEMNS THE ASSASSINATION OF JOHANNESBURG ATTORNEY BOUWER VAN NIEKERK AND CALLS FOR URGENT PROTECTION OF LEGAL PRACTITIONERS
The Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) expresses its deepest condolences to the family, colleagues, and friends of Mr Bouwer van Niekerk, a respected insolvency attorney who was shot and killed at his Saxonwold practice on Friday, 5 September 2025. According to initial reports, four suspects arrived at the firm under the pretext of a booked consultation. Gunshots were heard in the boardroom and Mr van Niekerk died at the scene. The attackers fled and the South African Police Service has appealed for information via the Crime Stop Line at 08600 10111 or anonymous tip-offs on the MySAPS app.
The LSSA condemns this targeted and brutal attack. Violence against legal practitioners is an assault on the rule of law, public confidence in the justice system, and the constitutional promise that disputes will be resolved peacefully through lawful processes. The LSSA is gravely concerned by the pattern of attacks on professionals involved in complex and high-profile matters. The LSSA echoes the longstanding calls from across the legal community for decisive action to safeguard those who serve the administration of justice.
Mr van Niekerk was engaged in contentious commercial and insolvency matters at the time of his death, including proceedings linked to business rescue litigation. Allegations surrounding related commercial schemes have been widely reported. While the circumstances of this killing remain under investigation, the LSSA notes with grave concern the pattern of threats and attacks on legal professionals who are tasked with confronting corruption, complex commercial disputes, and high-profile litigation.
LSSA President Nkosana Mvundlela said: ‘Mr van Niekerk’s murder is not only a tragedy for his loved ones. It is a direct attack on the legal system. When lawyers can be lured to a meeting and killed at their place of work, every South African should be alarmed. We call on law enforcement to act with urgency, prioritise the investigation, arrest those responsible, and
dismantle any criminal networks behind this crime. The profession must be able to do its work without fear or intimidation.’
The LSSA will continue to liaise with partners across the legal ecosystem to monitor risks, support affected practitioners, and advocate for systemic reforms that deter attacks on those who uphold the law. We will update the profession and the public on further steps arising from these engagements.
ISSUED ON BEHALF OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE LAW SOCIETY OF SOUTH AFRICA,
Nkosana Francois Mvundlela
For media inquiries, please contact:
LSSA Communication Manager: Mapula Oliphant
Tel: (012) 366 8808
Cell: 076 026 5997
Editor’s note: The Law Society of South Africa brings together the Black Lawyers Association, the National Association of Democratic Lawyers and Independent attorneys, in representing the attorneys’ profession in South Africa.
