(MENAFN) Cloete Murray, a South African accountant who was investigating high-level corruption cases, has been shot dead along with his son. Murray, who was 50 years old, worked as a liquidator for Bosasa, a company implicated in numerous government contract scandals. He also worked as a liquidator for firms linked to the wealthy Gupta brothers, who deny bribery accusations. Police are investigating whether there is a link between Murray's murder and these corruption investigations.
Murray was shot by unknown gunmen while driving in Johannesburg with his 28-year-old son Thomas, a legal adviser, on Saturday. Thomas died at the scene while Murray was taken to hospital and later died of his injuries, according to local media reports that cited a police spokesperson. The pair were driving their white Toyota Prado towards their home in Pretoria, South African media reported.
Murray's job as a court-appointed company liquidator was to look into the accounts of firms that had folded, recover assets, and report any criminality. One of those companies was Bosasa, a government contractor specialising in prison services. The landmark Zondo commission into corruption concluded that the company extensively bribed politicians and government officials to get government contracts during the nine-year presidency of Jacob Zuma, from 2009 to 2018. Zuma refused to co-operate with the inquiry but has denied accusations of corruption.
Murray's murder has raised concerns about the safety of those investigating corruption in South Africa. In 2019, a leading anti-corruption investigator, Colonel Charl Kinnear, was shot dead outside his Cape Town home. Kinnear had been investigating a case involving alleged underworld figures, leading to speculation that his murder was linked to his work.
The murder of Murray and his son has also highlighted the ongoing problem of violent crime in South Africa. The country has one of the highest murder rates in the world, with an average of 58 people killed every day. The government has faced criticism for its handling of the issue, with some accusing it of failing to tackle the root causes of crime, such as poverty and inequality.
As the investigation into Murray's murder continues, there are likely to be ongoing debates about the impact of corruption on South African society, and what can be done to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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