A Paarl family is seeking answers after 40-year-old Dino Louw died while operating a compost-grinding machine at a farm near Klapmuts on Monday.
Louw’s death has left his relatives, girlfriend and loved ones struggling to understand what happened at the compost facility. His family said they were concerned about the lack of information surrounding the incident and about how some relatives learned of his death.
Western Cape police have opened an inquest into the death. An inquest is intended to establish the circumstances and cause of a person’s death where the available information does not yet support a criminal charge.
Western Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel FC van Wyk confirmed that Klapmuts police were investigating.
“Circumstances surrounding the death of a male on Monday at a compost facility at a farm are under investigation,” he said.
No arrests had been announced, and police had not provided further details about the machine, the farm or the events leading to Louw’s death.
Family arrives at farm
Louw’s eldest cousin and family spokesperson, Willem Meiring, said relatives were desperate to establish exactly what had happened.
“When the family phoned and informed me of what happened on Monday, I immediately went to the farm. When I got there, he had already died, and his body was covered,” he said.
Meiring said family members who were at the scene were too traumatised to speak to police. He said he approached an officer himself but was told to keep away from the area because it was a crime scene.
“The officer told me it is a crime scene and that I should step back. It is now three days later, and no police or investigating officer has phoned us,” he said.
The family later attended Louw’s autopsy on Thursday. Meiring said the information they received left them with further questions about how Louw had died.
“We were only told that he suffered a broken arm and thumb. We asked how this could lead to someone’s death and were told to go and speak to the Klapmuts police,” Meiring said.
“We are all distraught and seek answers about what exactly happened.”
The details shared with the family do not constitute a final finding about the cause of death. The autopsy report and police investigation will be required to establish whether Louw suffered other injuries or whether another factor contributed to his death.
Girlfriend learns of death online
Louw’s girlfriend, Jenny Barnes, said she was devastated after learning about his death through social media instead of being contacted directly.
Barnes said Louw lived with her and that she had expected to be informed if he had been seriously injured or died at work.
“It is very difficult. Every night I cry myself to sleep, and what hurts me the most about this incident is that nobody contacted me when it happened, not even the people at his workplace, even though he was living with me,” she said.
“I had to see on people’s WhatsApp statuses that he had died. People were sending me messages saying they were sorry about Dino, and I knew nothing about it.”
Barnes said she had to phone her cousin to confirm the news. He struggled to tell her because he and Louw had also been very close.
She said the way she discovered Louw’s death had deepened her distress and left her with questions about communication between the workplace, emergency services and the family.
The available information does not indicate who was responsible for notifying relatives or whether the workplace had attempted to contact Barnes. Those circumstances may form part of the family’s efforts to obtain answers.
Young boy mourns father figure
Barnes and Louw did not have children together, but she said her young son had become deeply attached to him.
“My little boy was very attached to him because he was the only father figure in his life, so it is also quite difficult for him,” she said.
Louw leaves behind two daughters, his parents, two sisters and two brothers. His family will meet on Sunday to discuss funeral arrangements, Meiring said.
Relatives are now waiting for more information from the police and the relevant authorities about the circumstances at the farm. They want to understand how Louw sustained his injuries, whether safety procedures were being followed and what happened while he was operating the compost machinery.
Those questions have not been answered publicly. Police have not said whether the machine malfunctioned, whether Louw became trapped or whether another person was present when the incident occurred.
Inquest continues
The opening of an inquest means that the authorities are investigating the death before deciding whether further action is necessary. It does not indicate that a crime was committed or that any individual is suspected of wrongdoing.
Investigators may examine the machinery, the worksite, workplace-safety procedures and witness accounts. They may also review medical and post-mortem findings to establish the cause and manner of death.
The family’s concerns about communication and the information provided after the autopsy are separate from the question of how Louw died, but they have added to the relatives’ distress.
For Barnes, Louw’s daughters, parents, siblings and extended family, the immediate priority is to mourn a loved one and prepare for his funeral. They are also seeking a clear account of what happened at the farm near Klapmuts.
At the latest update, Klapmuts police were investigating an inquest and no criminal charges or arrests had been announced.