In the days leading up to his execution-style murder, Johannesburg businessman Kevin Soal, 68, was troubled and not himself, according to his close friend.
Keenan Jansen, who previously worked as Soal’s accountant, said the father of two had been on edge.
“He was not himself. We met for breakfast and he was clearly disturbed by something. He seemed preoccupied and looked for company. We really met to discuss our horses and how the year was. He was subdued and not his normal self."
On Wednesday Soal, the owner of National Heavy Haulage, was kidnapped in Midrand and taken to a secluded area close to the AfriSam waste dump in Olifantsfontein. There his captors forced him to his knees and shot him twice in the head.
Private investigators, roped in to hunt down those behind the killing, are piecing together the puzzle, which may include the body of a second man, found with gunshot wounds in the same vicinity as Soal about an hour later.
Private investigator Mike Bolhuis of Specialised Security Services said they were scouring camera footage from across the city to narrow down leads.
“We are not sure who the second person is as of yet, but it is highly possible that whoever killed Mr Soal is behind the murder of the second person. We will leave no stone unturned.
“Mr Soal was kidnapped and held against his will while the perpetrators tried to extort money from him. While being held captive, the perpetrators transferred R250,000 plus another R100,000 from his account.”
The transactions are said to have taken place at a property Soal apparently owned in Glen Austin, near Grand Central Airport, where he had an eviction order issued on the tenant. It is understood Soal traveled to the property for a meeting.
An award of R50,000 for information about Soal’s murder has been offered by his family and the investigation team.
He didn’t live this flashy lifestyle and flaunt his money, despite owning horses and helicopters. If you didn’t know him personally, you wouldn’t think he was wealthy
— Keenan Jansen, friend of Kevin Soal
Bolhuis warned that kidnapping was not only a growing trend, but perpetrators were changing their tactics.
“Kidnappers are increasingly impatient to get their money. They used to hold their target captive for weeks or months – sometimes even a year – while they bargained for millions.
"They would start out asking for something like R50m and then eventually settle for R10m, and then return the person after getting the money.
"Now we see them forcing the victim into money transfers – not getting as much money, but getting it in hours rather than months, and they’re even willing to kill.”
Police spokesperson Col Noxolo Kweza said a case of kidnapping and murder was being investigated. She did not respond to questions about the second body.
While investigations are at a sensitive stage, a close friend of the multimillionaire, who owned numerous horses and was well-respected within the racing fraternity, believes he was targeted by someone who knew him well.
Jansen said Soal was not someone one would suspect of having a lot of money.
“He didn’t live this flashy lifestyle and flaunt his money, despite owning horses and helicopters. If you didn’t know him personally, you wouldn’t think he was wealthy.”
An emotional Jansen said that on the day of Soal’s murder one of the horses they owned together, Puff of Smoke, placed second at a race at Greyville in Durban.
“Little did I know that while our horse was running my friend was being tortured. I was supposed to meet with him the next morning. If you own horses you have to have money; it is an expensive sport and Kevin had money, but it did not define him. He is one of those people who would give you the shirt off his back.”
Jansen said Soal was soft-spoken and timid.
“He was semi-retired and enjoying life. He took care of my 14-year-old daughter just a few weeks back. He loved his daughters and took my daughter as his own. He was a good father and husband and would do anything for his family.
“He got me into horse racing and gave me my first horse, named Imitation Game. I went to his farm and he showed me this filly which I really liked. He was that kind of person".
One of Soal’s horses, Gimme A Shot, was a runaway winner of the Betway Gr2 Ipi Tombe on Summer Cup day at the end of November.
The horse’s trainer was Adam Azzie. His father, Mike, said: “Adam has taken this very hard. He doesn’t want to speak about it because he is devastated. Everyone in the horse racing community has taken this very hard.”
Ashley Fortune, a trainer who worked with Soal’s horses, said she was deeply saddened by this murder as he was an incredible man.
- Additional reporting by Gill Gifford
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.