South African-born Gert Van Rooyen was also known as Bokkie. He is known for the alleged crimes of abducting, sexually assaulting, and murdering 6 girls between 1988 and 1989. Shortly before his arrest, Bokkie and his long-time accomplice, Joey Haarland committed a murder-suicide, thus he was never convicted of these crimes.
While he is long deceased, Rooyen remains one of the most deadly criminals in South African History. No wonder, some of his crimes have been portrayed in an episode of the investigative journalism series Carte Blanche.
Ten Facts About Gert Van Rooyen That Are Quite Shocking
1. His Early Life and Background
Rooyen was born Cornelius Gerhardus van Rooyen on April 11, 1938, in South Africa. Though the details about his parent’s and siblings’ identities are sparse, the latter will play an important role in running a business together with him.
During his formative years, Rooyen succumbed to a life of crime. As early as 1954, he clashed with the law when he was found driving a stolen car. The teenager had driven from Cape Town to Pretoria to see his dying mother. Due to the circumstances, he was sent to a reform school.
2. He was First Convicted at the Age of 22
Despite attending reform school as mentioned earlier, Rooyen continued to walk on the wrong side of the law. He moved into stealing motor parts and clothing among many items. Unsurprising, this led to the conviction of the then 22-year-old in 1960.
His next conviction was in 1979 after he abducted two girls who were aged 10 and 12 years. He had taken them to Hartbeespoort dam and sexually molested them before returning them back the following day.
After he was caught, he was charged and sentenced to 4 years imprisonment for abduction and sexual assault. Records have it that he only served three years of his sentence and was released.
3. The South African Abductor was Married Once and Fathered 6 Children
While he is popular for crimes against young girls, it is quite shocking to know that Rooyen was a family man. He was married to a woman named Aletta and together they welcomed 6 children namely Anne Marie, Judith, Hannes, Flippie, Gerhard, and Adrian.
However, the marriage was not a rosy one as would be proved by their divorce in 1983, a few years before he embarked on his crime spree. Though the reason for their split was not captured in the news, this was the last that was heard about her.
4. Gert Van Rooyen was Into Building Construction
Bokkie will always be known for the crimes he committed, yet, it turns out that he ran a legitimate business. According to different sources, Rooyen was into building construction which they ran together with his brothers.
Following investigations into his crimes, the police discovered that he continued to spend cash at a time when the business was doing badly. Thus, we may not be wrong to assume, the construction business was not a very successful one.
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5. The Pedophile was Assisted by Joey Haarhoff in his Crimes
Years after his initial convictions, he launched a terrifying abduction, raping, and killing spree. He allegedly abducted, raped, and killed no fewer than five girls between 1989 and 1989. Interestingly, he did not work alone this time around. He is said to have been assisted by Francina Johanna Hermina Haarhoff also known as Joey. Joey, a divorced woman herself, and Rooyen started dating in 1988 and soon after, they proved how depraved they are in the execution of crimes.
Reportedly, she lured young girls through different means after which she brought them to him. For instance, she is said to have phoned a children’s home to invite children to come and spend holidays and weekends. In another instance, Haarhold, a mother of three, and Gert once applied to a foster home but were turned down.
Between August 1988 and November 1989, they are believed to have abducted Tracy Lee Scott-Crossley, Fiona Harvey, Joan Horn, Janet Delport, Rosa Piel, Odette Boucher, Anne Mari Wapenaar, and Yolanda Wessels.
6. Rooyen Ended his Life By Committing Suicide
After years of raining terror without getting caught, the serial killer‘s end was also quickly approaching. In January 1990, his accomplice, Haarhoff abducted Joan Booysen at Church Square in Pretoria.
She took her to Rooyen’s home where the 16-year-old girl was sexually assaulted and locked in the cupboard. In a twist of events, Booysen escaped and reported the matter to the police. With this progress, it gave the police something to work on.
However, before the police would get to the pedophile, Rooyen discovered Booysen’s escape and this made him shoot Haarhoff with a .22 revolver after which he killed himself with a .357 revolver. As it is, it brought an end to their killing spree, yet, the victims were never found.
7. His House was Donated to the Police in 1996
As part of the investigation process to find the victims of the serial killer, Absa Bank donated his house in 1996. While many hoped ‘the house of horrors’ as it was referred to will yield more evidence.
In fact, the police demolished the house to comb for forensic evidence, however, they did not get anything making it one of South Africa’s coldest cases.
You may be wondering what happened to the house, it turns out that residents of the area have pushed for the conversion of the now-abandoned Malherbe Street plot of land into a shelter for women and children. By so doing, it will become a place of hope.
8. Some of his Children were Also Tried for Crimes
Like the fearsome abductor, two of his sons have also been in the news for serious crimes. In 2001, his son, Flippie van Rooyen was tried and found guilty of perjury in the missing girls’ case.
According to the proceedings, he had given contradictory statements to the police while under oath. At the time he was already in prison serving a life sentence for the murder of Naena Ndou, a 15-year-old Zimbabwean girl.
Another son who notably shares the same name, Gerhard was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years in prison for theft and fraud. While they are the only two that have clashed with the law, they definitely remind us of other troubled people like Nikko Jenkins who comes from a troubled bloodline.
9. Booysen is Likely not the only Victim to Have Escaped the Killer
Though Booysen is the only reported victim to have escaped, another girl named Andrea came out years later to share her story. Reportedly, Andrea encountered Gert van Rooyen as she was returning home from school.
The teenager had seen a white car parked and when he called her attention, she taught he needed direction. In order to convince her to follow him, he kept talking about having kids of his own and therefore having good intentions of taking her home safely.
unfortunately for him, the teenager ran away and entered a friend’s house. This made him so angry that he circled the block with the hope of catching her. Thankfully he never did but when she reported the matter to her parents and the police, they did not take it seriously.
10. He Allegedly had Links to Three Former South African National Party Ministers
Though long dead, Rooyen has been linked to three former National Party Ministers who are accused in a pedophile case. It would be recalled that Gert’s son, Flippie was convicted of the murder of a Zimbabwean girl in 1991. During his trial, Flippie revealed how three former MPs visited his father at their farm in the late 80s.
Also, he claimed his father told him about 40 children he had kidnapped. Flippie then advised his father to free himself which Rooyen refused claiming he had come too far and giving himself up at that point would lead to his death.
While Gert was never convicted of the crimes, it is notable that both Rooyen and the former MPs share a particular crime in common; pedophilia. Since Flippie is known for perjury, his statement was never taken up.
