Pieter van der Westhuizen shot and killed two robbers at the Querencia Ministries church in Wierda Park, Centurion, on Sunday.
According to the police, three men entered the church and robbed church members of their personal belongings but a church member opened fire and shot two of the robbers while the third managed to escape.
Pieter van der Westhuizen’s lawyer claims that he protected not only himself, but the entire congregation.
Lawyer Ulrich Roux of Ulrich Roux & Associates said that Van der Westhuizen, a retired police officer and brother of late Springbok scrum half Joost van der Westhuizen, was shaken after the incident.
“Of course, it is a traumatic experience for anybody. He will be receiving the necessary counselling, but he seems okay. He was a police officer for 13 years, so he’s had the necessary training to deal with similar situations, but it remains a traumatic experience for everyone.”
“The pastor,Kobus Erasmus suffered a few blows to the head and a teenage boy was grazed by some shrapnel.”
“I can’t elaborate on all the detail, but at this stage, it would appear that Van der Westhuizen acted in self-defence – not only to protect himself, but also to protect the other congregants.”
Roux said Van der Westhuizen was not charged to court but was co-operating with the police.
He also said that one of the three robbers threatened the pastor by putting a gun to his head. According to him, the first shots were fired by the robbers.
The police are currently investigating the robbery case
