‘Axe attacker’ not following bail conditions

Mike Pheiffer, a Benoni man who will stand trial this week for allegedly attacking his wife with an axe in 2021, is not sticking to the conditions of his 2023 bail application.

Pheiffer, who was released on bail of R10,000 under strict conditions last year, denies the charge against him, citing loss of memory. 

According to the conditions of his release (the court order for which the Sunday Times has seen), Pheiffer has to:

• Wear an electronic monitoring device.

• Report to the Benoni police station twice a week — on Mondays and on Fridays.

In his bail application, Pheiffer listed the home of a friend in a Benoni gated complex as the fixed address where he would live while on bail. 

The Sunday Times spoke to several sources who claimed Pheiffer isn't wearing a monitoring device.

"I went to the police and asked them why this man isn't wearing a device like the court ordered. The officer just said they didn't have any," a concerned member of the community who did not want to be named said on Wednesday.

Gauteng police spokesperson, Col. Mavela Masondo, did not want to comment or answer questions about the monitoring device. 

“We do not comment on matters once they are in court,” Masondo said.

When pushed on the apparent issues with the bail conditions and asked if the policing of bail conditions is not a police function, Masondo said: “It is the NPA that comments if there is a contempt of court.”

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana told the Sunday Times the matter is set for trial for four days from Thursday.

“The prosecutor at the Benoni regional court successfully opposed bail last year. However, bail was later granted by the high court,” Mahanjana said on Thursday.

The Sunday Times has seen copies of the police sign-in register where Pheiffer initially signed in on Mondays and Fridays. This later changed to mainly on Mondays.

When asked about apparent transgressions of Pheiffer’s bail conditions, Mahanjana said she was still waiting for information from the court.

By the time of going to press on Saturday Mahanjana still had not responded.

The Sunday Times attempted to find Pheiffer at the Sonop Caravan Park, Farramere, which is a haven for destitute families in Benoni.

This is different from the Benoni complex owned by a friend which is listed as the address he was scheduled to live at as part of his bail conditions. The friend’s affidavit confirming she was offering to host him until the trial is contained in the bail application.

“He lives here, but he went out early in the morning,” a neighbour at the caravan park confirmed to the Sunday Times after identifying Pheiffer in a group photo. Other community members also confirmed he lived at the caravan park.

Less than 3km from Sonop Caravan Park is the gated complex where Pheiffer’s former wife, Cecelia — she divorced him while he was incarcerated — now lives.

“I know he is on bail and I am scared, but I do not want to comment and influence the investigation or the court case,” she said via the gate intercom before ending the call.

According to Pheiffer, in affidavits filed in court proceedings as part of his bail application, he attempted to commit suicide on September 15 in 2021 and was admitted to hospital.

“After my wife informed me that she does not wish to continue with our marriage relationship, I attempted to commit suicide on or about September 15 2021.

“I was subsequently discharged on Thursday September 23. This is the same day the incident allegedly occurred at our matrimonial home. I have no recollection hereof,” Pheiffer wrote.

Pheiffer, who was also injured during the alleged incident, sustained various serious injuries — including stab wounds and lacerations to his head, neck and hands.

“I have no recollection as to how these wounds were afflicted [sic].”

Pheiffer said he also didn’t know how his former wife sustained a serious head injury.

Pheiffer did not answer several calls made to his phone.

On Thursday evening, he sent this reporter a WhatsApp containing two question marks. A detailed request for comment was then sent to him, which he read but did not respond to.

Some Benoni residents are fuming about how he’s managed to “stay below the radar” .

“This man stands accused of a horrible crime and almost nobody in the community knows about it. Pheiffer is just going on with life under the radar as if nothing happened,” a resident who did not want to be named told the Sunday Times. 

“He has been delivering food for Mr Delivery to unsuspecting members of the public, he regularly volunteered as an official at one of our local parkruns and he even volunteered for the Freedom Front Plus during the recent elections.

“Pheiffer also worked with alcohol at a local wine bar where he helped with wine blending classes. I did not know someone who is out on bail is allowed to work with alcohol. He uses a fake surname — Britz — on social media. Who does that if they are not up to no good?”

Freedom Front Plus MP Heloïse Denner confirmed Pheiffer was a volunteer on election day.

“The person only worked as a volunteer at one of the voting points. Our structures were not aware of the fact that he was out on bail,” Denner said.

The owner of the wine business, who asked not to be identified, was shocked when informed of Pheiffer’s pending criminal case.

“We did not know. I promise you, I did not have the faintest idea. He was never paid by us and sort of came and helped out casually when we had wine blending classes for members of the public. Before you phoned I was actually getting worried about him, because we haven’t seen him in a few weeks,” the wine business owner said.

A spokesperson for Parkrun SA did not want to comment.

On Friday, Mr Delivery said, “Criminal checks are carried out on all independent contractors. These checks are valid for 12 months. Criminal checks are dependent on the accuracy of information captured. In cases where there are court delays, these don’t always reflect. This is why checks are carried out every 12 months.”