TV presenter and producer Johann Botha (53) has been shot and killed on Wednesday night in a bar in Johannesburg's Maboneng Precinct during a robbery.
The owner of the Zebra Inn bar in Jeppestown and a friend of Johann Botha, Werner "Swazi" Perchtold (73), was also killed.
According to Captain Kay Makhubela, police spokesperson, 4 people entered the bar - three men and a woman - bought food, and then pointed a gun at the owner. The owner was then shot as well as Johann Botha. Both were shot in the upper body and died on the scene.
Johann Botha is a former producer, presenter and executive producer of the SABC's environmental programme 50/50 on SABC2, and a former presenter and producer of the environmental programme Projek Aardwolf that was broadcast on kykNET (DStv 144), M-Net's Afrikaans packaged channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform.
Johann Botha currently worked as a producer on M-Net's Carte Blanche investigative magazine show, mostly doing environmental impact stories where he's also presented some inserts in the past.
After having studied drama, Johann Botha started working for the SABC in 1988.
In his career Johann Botha also worked as a SABC radio presenter on the public broadcaster's Afrikaans radio station RSG where he used to present several shows in the past, notably successful youth centred music programmes.
TV presenter and producer Johann Botha has been shot and killed on Wednesday night in a bar in Johannesburg's Maboneng Precinct during a robbery.
The owner of the bar, Werner "Swazi" Perchtold, was also killed. No arrest have been made yet.
According to Captain Kay Makhubela, police spokesperson, 4 people entered the bar - three men and a woman - bought food, and then pointed a gun at the owner. The owner was then shot as well as Johann Botha. Both were shot in the upper body and died on the scene.
Johann Botha is a former producer, presenter and executive producer of the SABC's environmental programme 50/50 on SABC2, and a former presenter and producer of the environmental programme Projek Aardwolf that was broadcast on kykNET (DStv 144), M-Net's Afrikaans packaged channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform.
Johann Botha currently worked as a producer on M-Net's Carte Blanche investigative magazine show, mostly doing environmental impact stories where he's also presented some inserts in the past.
After having studied drama, Johann Botha started working for the SABC in 1988.
In his career Johann Botha also worked as a SABC radio presenter on the public broadcaster's Afrikaans radio station RSG where he used to present several shows in the past, notably successful youth centred music programmes.
Since the beginning of the year Johann Botha was a radio presenter at PretoriaFM of the Sunday night show, Nagmusiek.
50/50 in a Facebook post said: "Johann's exuberant energy on camera and investigative journalistic insight made him a champion for the environment and his love for wildlife his seen him lauded with numerous environmental awards. The environment, the animals, and his close friends and family have lost a truly courageous human being, who made a tremendous difference to the world, that will be felt still for many years to come."
In a statement from M-Net's Carte Blanche, the weekly investigative magazine show says "M-Net's Carte Blanche team is devastated by the loss of Johann Botha, one of our finest producers."
"Johann was immensely talented and had a depth and breadth of experience which makes him simply irreplaceable," says George Mazarakis, Carte Blanche executive producer.
"Johann was a brave, creative investigative journalist with a kind and gentle nature.He could executive stories on the Johannesburg billing crisis - his most recent report - with as much ease as a piece on the penguins of Betty's Bay; he was comfortable reporting on politics or the arts".
"His loss is a loss for the entire broadcasting industry and he will be sorely missed," says George Mazarakis.
"We are outraged that yet again, a precious life has been lost to the scourge of crime. We extend our sincere condolences to his family and his friends."
