The close-knit community of Tulbagh in the Witzenberg, Western Cape, is deeply shocked by the murder of an elderly resident earlier this week.
A suspect has been arrested and will appear in the Tulbagh Magistrate’s Court today(4 June) following the death of 73-year-old Karl Lauks, a beloved member of the community.
Lauks, a British citizen who has been a long-time resident of Tulbagh, was found dead in his vehicle in the driveway of his home on Piet Retief Street yesterday (June 3) at 12:15. Medical personnel who were called to the scene declared him dead on arrival.
According to WO. Joseph Swartbooi, spokesperson for the South African Police Services, police suspect that robbery was the motive for the attack. The 29-year-old suspect fled the scene after the attack but was apprehended the same day after police launched an intensive search.
Tulbagh locals said it appears that Lauks may have been attacked in his vehicle on arrival back home. Personal items such as his cellphone, house keys, and belt are reportedly missing.
It has also been reported that a scarf was allegedly used to gag him, and that police later recovered his house keys in the garden of the suspect.
According to friends at a local pub which Lauks frequented, he was loved by many in town. He was a British national and used to work in the textile industry before he moved to South Africa more than a decade ago, they said.
“This is a shocking incident and we hope that those who killed him will be brought to book.”
Lauks apparently did not have any family in South Africa.
The police request that anyone with information about the incident contact the Crime Stop number 08600 10111 or report it anonymously on the MySAPS app.
