Cape Town - A careless Facebook post about a “sleepover in Strand” may have led to a police officer shooting his girlfriend and then killing himself.
Macassar Warrant Officer Nevell du Toit, 44, was laid to rest on Saturday, with emotional family and friends paying tribute to the “dedicated” police officer and rugby coach.
Meanwhile, a source close to the Macassar Rugby Football Club revealed to the Daily Voice that Du Toit’s girlfriend Zaheda Peters, 31, dumped him for a young rugby player at the club just days before he tried to kill her last Monday.
The woman said: “Nevell was not himself the entire weekend after the break-up. He could not deal with what was going on.
“We had a get-together immediately after practice the Thursday as usual and I had heard that Zaheda had broken up with Nevell to date (the 22-year old player) who Nevell coached.
“Nevell came in fuming. He said he was going to kill both of them. I was too shocked to say anything.”
Du Toit shot and wounded Peters at her home in Strand, before turning the gun on himself.
On Saturday, his twin brother Neil, said Du Toit was “very much in love” with Peters, a divorced mom of two, and that he was planning to marry her in November.
“They were dating for two years and as far as I know they were happy together,” said a heartbroken Neil.
“He loved her and wanted to spend his life with her.”
Neil added that a Facebook post may have driven his brother over the edge after Peters dumped him.
“There was a message on her Facebook page posted by her so-called new loverboy about sleeping over in Strand that we all saw. I was very shocked at her slegtigheid,” he said.
The post has since been removed.
Du Toit’s funeral, held in the Sidney Kuhn Hall in Macassar, right next to the police station, was attended by hundreds of mourners.
The warrant officer did not receive a state burial – there was no flag on his coffin, no SAPS band and no gun salute to mark his passing.
Neil indicated that his brother would be cremated.
Du Toit’s daughter, Chante, spoke of her father’s love, support and guidance.
“I will miss him,” she said with tears streaming down her face.
Peters, who was shot through the leg and head and lost an eye, is still being treated at the Vergelegen Mediclinic in Somerset West.
Daily Voice