The death of the police officer who spent years infiltrating the Israeli mafia could have a far-reaching impact on one of Johannesburg's most sensational pending trials.
Inspector Wayne Kukard, 36, who was stationed at the Brixton Serious and Violent Crimes Unit but also served on Gauteng Deputy Commissioner Bushie Engelbrecht's special investigations team, was buried on Monday.
Kukard died of a heart attack after collapsing at home last week. He is survived by his wife and two sons, aged 11 and seven.
Kukard was the investigating officer in the murder trial of alleged Israeli mafia boss Lior Saadt. Kukard's death - the fourth connected to the case - means that only two state witnesses remain. Their identities are unclear.
Superintendent Chris Wilken, police spokesperson for Johannesburg, described Kukard as an excellent detective who had an unblemished record.
Inspector Johnnie Kriger, Kukard's partner of the past five years, who is investigating the murder of businesswoman and socialite Hazel Crane, said: "We have a meeting with the attorney-general next week to see what will happen to the case."
State prosecutor Tom Dicker said he had yet to assess the impact Kukard's death would have on the Saadt case.
"I have to consult with (state) witnesses and other police officers involved in the investigation," advocate Dicker said.
Saadt is to stand trial in the Johannesburg High Court in March on 13 counts, including the murder of the alleged head of the South African Israeli mafia, Shai Avissar.
Avissar was the estranged husband of Crane, who was gunned down in Oaklands, Johannesburg, on November 10 last year while on her way to attend Saadt's hearing. Crane was to have been a key witness in Saadt's trial.
Another charge Saadt is facing is that of intimidating Crane after her husband's death. Saadt is alleged to have threatened to "blow her (Crane's) head off".