Eyewitnesses take the stand
The stage has been set in the Western Cape High Court where the inquest into Reshall Jimmy's (33) death continues. Jimmy, from Johannesburg, burnt to death in his Ford Kuga while on holiday in Wilderness in December 2015. A video showing Jimmy's car burning was at the centre of a dispute over evidence at the inquest on Monday. The inquest is led by Advocate Gerrie Nel on behalf of the Jimmy family.
Two witnesses testify
Monday saw two witnesses testifying. During questioning by Nel, one of the witnesses, Herman Keuler from the Northern Cape, said that he heard a loud bang and a woman shouting for help, after which he ran to the scene where the car was burning. He testified that he wasn't sure whether the noise was a gunshot, a firecracker or an explosion. Keuler, also on holiday in Wilderness, filmed the burning Kuga. He said when he arrived at the scene three to five people were looking at the burning vehicle.
He said one of them tried to open the doors, but to no avail, and nobody at the scene had an explanation for how the car had caught alight.
The second witness who testified on Monday and Tuesday was Andrew Roberts. When questioned by Nel, Roberts told the court that he was called by Ford's CEO, Jeff Nemeth, after the incident to give a statement to Ford's lawyers after he had already given a statement to police. He identified the dealer principal of Cape Town Ford, Pieter Claassen, as the person who arranged the meeting between Nemeth and himself. According to Andrew Leask, investigator at AfriForum's private prosecution unit, who is attending court proceedings, the court heard that Roberts also sent a video clip of the scene to Nemeth.
"He confirmed that Ford had by then also obtained another witness's affidavit. Both these meetings and the affidavits obtained were withheld from the police. Roberts conceded that he had absolutely no evidence that would indicate that the deceased's death was due to foul play or that he knew how the fire originated. All the rumours of a shooting were nothing but unsubstantiated assumptions," Leask told the George Herald.
He confirmed that Ford had by then also obtained another witness’s affidavit.
Ford denies responsibility
Advocate André Bezuidenhout, for
Ford, earlier denied that the company was responsible for Jimmy's death and said that there was no credible evidence that Jimmy's death can be laid at Ford's door.
Ford recalled 4 000 Kugas after more than 80 went up in flames on the country's roads in the months after Jimmy's vehicle burnt.
The inquest continues.