Johannesburg – The South African Restructuring and Insolvency Practitioners Association (SARIPA) has expressed its “deepest shock and outrage” at the tragic assassination of Attorney Bouwer van Niekerk today in his office near Sandton.
Insolvency lawyer Bouwer van Niekerk was fatally shot in his Jan Smuts Avenue office in the morning on Friday, 5 September 2025.
SARIPA said Bouwer was a respected legal professional who worked on complex, high-profile matters and often incriminating matters.
In 2023, Van Niekerk wrote about the mafia state after his colleagues Cloete and Thomas Murray were killed.
“His untimely death represents a devastating loss to the legal, insolvency, and restructuring community,” said SARIPA.
“We unequivocally condemn this violent act.
“It has only been 2,5 years since the murders of Insolvency Practitioners , Cloete Murray and his son, Thomas Murray.”
SARIPA said such attacks strike at the very heart of our justice system and undermine the safety and confidence of all professionals who dedicate their careers to upholding fairness, accountability, and due process in South Africa.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to Bouwer’s family, colleagues, and friends,” said Jo Mitchell-Marais, Chairperson of SARIPA.
“We stand in solidarity with the broader legal community as we mourn this senseless loss.”
SARIPA said it will be engaging directly with the relevant authorities to raise our concerns and to demand that the safety of legal and insolvency professionals is given urgent and serious attention.
SARIPA added: “Our members must be able to carry out their work without fear or intimidation and violence.”
SARIPA called upon government, law enforcement agencies, and all stakeholders to act swiftly and decisively to investigate this crime and bring the perpetrators to justice.
“It is heartbreaking and utterly unacceptable that in South Africa, courageous, ethical professionals should have to pay with their lives simply for doing their jobs,” lamented Mitchell-Marais.
No arrests have been made yet.
Police are investigating the brazen murder.
