A mentally ill man – who once shot his father and 19 years ago held a gun to his own child’s head – is on the run.
His family say he has threatened to kill them at their Cambridge home. Their attorney, Henry van Breda, said Curt van Nieuwenhuizen, 53, could be dangerous and should not be approached.
“It is very sad and he needs help,” said Van Breda, adding people should “stay calm and call the police if they see him”.
Van Nieuwenhuizen was arrested on December 22 1996 and appeared in court on a charge of attempted murder a few days later, but the case was later withdrawn.
Van Breda said a case of assault was opened against him on Saturday after a frenzied scene in which he is alleged to have assaulted his sister, threatened his parents with a sharpened golf club and screamed at them and police that he would “kill you all”.
The attorney said a protection order has been granted by the court but was yet to be served on Van Nieuwenhuizen, a diagnosed schizophrenic. He said the goal was to have him referred to Fort England hospital.
Yesterday his sister Adele Swart, 51, said she was so terrified that she armed herself with two knives before leaving for work every morning.
Van Nieuwenhuizen first made headlines in the Daily Dispatch after he shot his father Paul in the neck in December 1996 during a heated argument about his divorce.
Swart said her brother had a history of rage and mental illness and her former sister-in-law Tina had had her brother committed to Komani Psychiatric Hospital in Queenstown in 1984 after he beat her up and set her dog alight.
She said he refused to take medication for his condition after being diagnosed with schizophrenia in the 1980s.
She said her parents and brother moved into her Cambridge house about 15 years ago. He had been unemployed much of that time and chose to live in the laundry room.
His ex-wife and children now live in Germany.
Swart said her brother had become increasingly agitated and paranoid. Six weeks ago he said his life was in danger and that he planned to apply for diplomatic immunity from the US and Germany. Things came to a head on Saturday when she confronted him about his threats to harm his daughter's dog.
“He was swearing and twisted my arm. I told him to get off my property and called the police who told him they wanted to take him to a doctor.
“He shouted ‘I’ll kill you all’ and ran to my dad with a sharpened golf club. When police took out pepper spray he said ‘today I die’ and jumped over the back wall.”
Police Lieutenant Nkosikho Mzuku asked anyone with information to call Sergeant Zoleka Mzamo on (043)709-7500 or 071-475-1681. — DDR
Dangerously ill man on the loose in BCM
His family say he has threatened to kill them at their Cambridge home. Their attorney, Henry van Breda, said Curt van Nieuwenhuizen, 53, could be dangerous and should not be approached.
“It is very sad and he needs help,” said Van Breda, adding people should “stay calm and call the police if they see him”.
Van Nieuwenhuizen was arrested on December 22 1996 and appeared in court on a charge of attempted murder a few days later, but the case was later withdrawn.
Van Breda said a case of assault was opened against him on Saturday after a frenzied scene in which he is alleged to have assaulted his sister, threatened his parents with a sharpened golf club and screamed at them and police that he would “kill you all”.
The attorney said a protection order has been granted by the court but was yet to be served on Van Nieuwenhuizen, a diagnosed schizophrenic. He said the goal was to have him referred to Fort England hospital.
Yesterday his sister Adele Swart, 51, said she was so terrified that she armed herself with two knives before leaving for work every morning.
Van Nieuwenhuizen first made headlines in the Daily Dispatch after he shot his father Paul in the neck in December 1996 during a heated argument about his divorce.
Swart said her brother had a history of rage and mental illness and her former sister-in-law Tina had had her brother committed to Komani Psychiatric Hospital in Queenstown in 1984 after he beat her up and set her dog alight.
She said he refused to take medication for his condition after being diagnosed with schizophrenia in the 1980s.
She said her parents and brother moved into her Cambridge house about 15 years ago. He had been unemployed much of that time and chose to live in the laundry room.
His ex-wife and children now live in Germany.
Swart said her brother had become increasingly agitated and paranoid. Six weeks ago he said his life was in danger and that he planned to apply for diplomatic immunity from the US and Germany. Things came to a head on Saturday when she confronted him about his threats to harm his daughter's dog.
“He was swearing and twisted my arm. I told him to get off my property and called the police who told him they wanted to take him to a doctor.
“He shouted ‘I’ll kill you all’ and ran to my dad with a sharpened golf club. When police took out pepper spray he said ‘today I die’ and jumped over the back wall.”
Police Lieutenant Nkosikho Mzuku asked anyone with information to call Sergeant Zoleka Mzamo on (043)709-7500 or 071-475-1681. — DDR
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