{
  "id": 809220,
  "title": "MADLANGA COMMISSION: ‘My son was murdered in cold blood by the police,’ father tells inquiry",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/13/madlanga-commission-my-son-was-murdered-in-cold-blood-by-the-police",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-13T21:50:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Maverick",
    "slug": "daily-maverick",
    "url": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-08-13-my-son-was-murdered-in-cold-blood-by-the-police-father-tells-inquiry/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Gregory Loftus, the father of Bevan Loftus, testified to the Madlanga Commission that his son was murdered by the police in an unprovoked attack. The shooting occurred on 1 April 2023 in Durban, South Africa. Gregory, a former police officer, stated that the police came to murder Bevan under the guise of a legitimate operation at the behest of Clive Naicker, a rival in the tow truck industry and an alleged drug dealer. Bevan, who had previously lodged a criminal complaint against his father, was described by his father as neither a criminal nor a notorious individual.",
  "summary": "Gregory Loftus, the father of a tow truck operator who was killed in a shooting in Durban in 2023, has told the Madlanga Commission that the day before this happened, he tried to interdict police officers from murdering his son. Other evidence, meanwhile, suggested his son was a “notorious” figure.",
  "key_points": [
    "Gregory Loftus testified his son Bevan was murdered by police.",
    "Murder occurred on 1 April 2023 in Durban, South Africa.",
    "Police claimed operation at Clive Naicker's request."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "IOL",
        "title": "Gregory Loftus at Madlanga Commission: How IOL broke the killing of Hollywood gang members",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/14/gregory-loftus-at-madlanga-commission-how-iol-broke-the-killing-of",
        "published": "2026-08-14T03:30:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Citizen",
        "title": "Suliman Carrim no-show at Madlanga commission: Here’s what happens next",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/14/suliman-carrim-no-show-at-madlanga-commission-heres-what-happens-next",
        "published": "2026-08-14T09:49:28.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}