Maritz Spaarwater

(Klik hier vir oorspronklike brief in Afrikaans)

Maritz had an impressive academic background also in law, including a post-graduate qualification from Oxford, as well as an outstanding career in the Defence Force and later in the National Intelligence Service. After his retirement, he worked as an independent legal practitioner. In his highly interesting book “A Spook’s Progress – from Making War to Making Peace” he also describes the role he played in the negotiation process between the then Government and the ANC.

		Letter No. 1
	Author:	Late Maritz Spaarwater
Newspaper	Die Burger (DB)	Volksblad (VB)	Beeld (B)	NETWERK24
Date				2018/08/15
Heading	“Investigation of authors can help”

This following letter from Maritz Spaarwater (now deceased, but at the time from Onrusrivier), was published in “My Stem, Netwerk24”, on 15 August 2018 with the heading “Ondersoek na skrywers kan help” (“Investigation of authors can help”).

“I share the indignation of Hennie van Deventer from Melkbosstrand, expressed in his letter of 10 August 2018, about the post mortem snipery on Magnus Malan.

In anticipation of any credible information that might emerge, it is in my opinion a shameful conglomeration of innuendo and unconfirmed fabrications by an obscure ex-detective and the co-owner of an equally obscure little bookstore in Hermanus.

If former general Gert Opperman and the Malan family should lay a criminal charge against the authors, Tafelberg, Media24 and the even more obscure and opportunistic “Mr X” and Maygene de Wee, I would gladly offer my services as a senior former state prosecutor for free, in order for the case to be conducted.

I believe the above-mentioned parties will be aware of the fact that in such cases, witnesses can be forced to testify in terms of criminal legislation.

What fun it would be to cross-examine the mentioned parties!

One of my first questions to the authors and Media24 would be the following: Who paid what to the handy, suddenly “popped-up” witness Mr X, for his delayed outpouring, while the most glaring shortcoming, amongst many others in The Lost Boys of Bird Island, was the absence of any objective evidence?

I also support Van Deventer’s proposal for an investigation into the background of “master detective” Mark Minnie, but would like to add an investigation into Chris Steyn’s achievements as an “investigative journalist” – not as a witch hunt, but rather to give uninformed readers like me a measure to judge her output with.

I had not previously known of her in this capacity, but rather as the co-owner of an evidently struggling bookstore who could certainly do with the handy income from a publication that would be snatched up by a sensation-seeking readership.

I presume Mr X would also share in this windfall.”

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