Johannesburg – Carte Blanche producer Johann Botha was killed on Wednesday night in an armed robbery at the Zebra Inn in Johannesburg's Maboneng District.
The owner of the restaurant was also killed in the robbery.
Botha, who lived in Kensington, was an opera singer, presenter of a wildlife show 50/50, radio personality and an environmental and investigative television producer. He also worked on KykNet's Projek Aardwolf.
George Mazarakis Executive Producer of Carte Blanche said he was devastated.
“I am devastated by the loss of Johann. He was a extremely experienced and highly respected television producer,” said
“His loss is an immense loss to Carte Blanche and to the television industry as a whole. He has been a man, who has been executive producer of 50/50 on the SABC in his time, before he came to Carte Blanche,” Mazarakis said.
“He, at some point in his career, presented a opera programme on Radio Sonder Grense (RSG), an Afrikaans radio station. For us he produced both news and investigative stories and has done exceptionally well over a period of time. He is quite irreplaceable."
Mazarakis told the Star that Botha was active in the television industry lately, and recalled the last show he produced.
“Last week, we had a story about the billing crisis in Joburg, which he produced,” said Mazarakis.
Mazarakis and his former personal assistant, Kate Vos are still in shock over the news and have said that they have no formal information about how Botha was killed.
Gauteng police spokesperson, Captain Kay Makhubele confirmed the deaths and said the armed robbery took place around 7:30pm on Wednesday night.
"There were patrons inside the restaurant when the robbery happened. Three men and a woman came into the restaurant and pointed a firearm at the owner and his friend (Botha) demanding money," Makhubele said.
During the robbery, Botha and the owner were shot while the four suspects escaped the scene with two firearms and an undisclosed amount of cash.
"At this stage no arrests have been made but a case of armed robbery and murder have been opened," Makhubele said.
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