CRAZY MONKEY ACTOR KILLED
Gay television, theatre and film actor Brett Goldin (27) – well known in South Africa’s gay community – has been murdered, along with his friend, fashion product manager Richard Bloom (28), in Cape Town. Their bodies were found by police in the veld near the M5 highway in Rondebosch.
The two men were discovered naked lying face down. They each had a gunshot wound to the back of the head. They were last seen alive shortly before leaving a party hosted by fashion designer Craig Port, just before 12am on Saturday night, in Bloom’s car. It has been speculated that they were hijacked while drawing money from an ATM or just as they left the party.
The first sign that things were amiss was when Goldin did not arrive at his mother’s home for a planned visit the next morning. Earlier that Sunday morning three men who were arrested, according to police on the grounds of “suspicious behaviour”, were found to have Goldin’s credit card in their possession.
Following an interrogation, on Monday morning they led police to the crime scene. Five more suspects have since been arrested in connection with the crime. The motive appears to be robbery at this point, but there has been speculation that attack may have been gang related. Bloom’s car, which had been missing after the attack, has been found along with a pistol inside it – which may have been used in the attack.
Goldin was best known for his role as one of the co-creators of the Crazy Monkey MTV skits, which were broadcast around the world. Last year, the comedy troupe produced a theatrical film version, which was released in South Africa amidst much hype. Goldin was a regular face in TV commercials and series such as Yizo Yizo 3 and Fela’s TV. He appeared in the films Slash and Proteus – the first gay themed South African feature film.
He also wrote and starred in an acclaimed one man show titled Bad Apple. Tonight newspaper reviewer, Anél Powell, wrote about the play – described as a darkly comic look at school brutality – saying that, “His [Goldin] performance will leave an indelible imprint on the minds of local audiences”.
“Brett was an extremely talented guy. He was also one of the most genuine, warm and fun people I know. It’s still unreal and almost absurd that someone with so much potential – so much to give to the rest of us – has been snuffed out so brutally and randomly”, said Mambaonline editor Luiz DeBarros, who was a friend of Goldin.
“We had fun together”, said underground filmmaker Stanimir Stoykov, who knew Goldin well. “When you wanted to be happy you’d phone him. He was completely hungry for life – which is why it’s so terrible. He was one of the best actors that I know, I wanted to work with him,” he added.
Goldin was set to travel to Shakespeare’s home town, Stratford-upon-Avon, in the UK to perform in an upcoming production of Hamlet, which was to be directed by Janet Suzman.
This is the second high-profile murder in the South African entertainment industry and the gay community in little more than a week. Gay television director Ken Kirsten was shot outside his home by presumed robbers on the 10th of April.
Shocking. I recently met Brett while on holiday in Cape Town he was the consumate gentleman polite and friendly.He will be sorely missed by many people im sure.The shocking brutality of the crime is a sad reality of life in this country.So much beautiful potential that will lay dormant until crime is seriously dealt with. May Brett and Richard rest in peace.
Angry. I dont know where to start…i am so angry at what is going on there.
I am studying in Sweden at the moment and keep on reading about murders and rape and crime going out of control. What is going on?
This should not be a ‘sad reality of the country we live in’.
Just before i moved to Sweden my aunt was murdered in Durban. I was listening to my family and seeing their reactions…no real shock!!!? What is this.. have we become so blunted to this horrible act of violence?
It is unacceptable….Could we not do something…is there no way of influencing or convincing…and this I mean not as ‘us’ the gay community, but ‘us’ as South Africans.
Why would I want to come back if my life is at real risk?
I love my country and my city and my family and friends…but my life is too important to waste. I hope you feel the same about yours?!
Please someone or everyone – do something – be angry – effect change! Please dont think it always happens to someone else…next time it might be your friend or even you yourself!
I wish I could be there for the funeral. Please support these men’s families as much as you can.
PS: Dont think everything is perfect on this side of the planet either! I could write several letters just trying to explain why there is a huge persentage of the population who are communists and why the Christian Party has almost the exact same views as the far left!
Fernando
stand up. We as a gay community must stand up and week justice for the people who kill our brothers ans sisters. I met Brett a wile ago at a function – he was sush a fab person !!!
gays murder. This is not only a terrible loss to the fashion and theatre world of two talented youngsters, but also a sad reflection on the life in SA today- which crime and mentality wise has only got worse in the New SA, not better. I only hope that this is not going to be found out to be a anti gay murder, as the circs seem to be too extreme for a gang related/mere robbery motivated crime.
Mamba, hopefuly with the Main gay grouos/ even Aids activists groups, and of course the legal groups that are fighting for law reform/ gay rights/ marriage etc, must keep this and kens murder as long as possible in the press forefront. How about an ad in the mainstream press with a petition in it, that anoneyone can sign send to (say mamba/ law reform group) and it gets prsented to the Min of justice, safety and security, the high court and The constitution Court. , to show that not only gays mean business , but I am sure many straights will sign it as well to show the ministers of justice, safety and sec- that the country as a whole cannot tolerate this escalating violent and senseless crime in SA. It is also extremely bad image for the Country as a whole tourist and economocally wise.
thoughts are with all the family and friends of these three men.
Goldin Murder. Shocking – it’s incidents like this that makes one wish we still had the death penalty. These arseholes will spend the the rest of their lives in jail, at taxpayers expense.
sad sad sad. the worst is they will get our in like 15 years on good behavior….makes a person sick they should DIE
Murders. Things in SA have been deteriorating criminal wize like never before. If a criminal needs food, steal it and get it over with or demand money and piss off! But why kill or mutilate victims? Criminals are more and more becoming like animals … no, not even animals do such things to one another. No, they have become demons!
For the life of me, I can’t understand why a group of youngsters would attack and kill two helpless guys, strip them of their clothes and posessions and then kill them? WHY?! Why not take the stuff and go?! How idiotic do you have to be not to realise that such deeds will be the end of your life as you know it? These guys’ future is bust and what do they have to show for it? Ziltsch! But two talented young guys’ lives were nipped in the bud, leaving family, friends, loved ones and their work sphere without two obviously competent and nice guys.
BRING BACK THE DEATH PENALTY!
Punishment. I just feel so upset for the torment that the two of them had to go through and there families, loved ones and friends.
I feel that death would be far to easy a punishment for scum like this.
The country needs to make far stricter punishments. ie: life in prison with the loss of limbs and genitals and the most shocking pain for each and every day of life that they have left in them and it must try and be prolonged for as long as possible until they finally are ready to rot in hell for all eternity.
WATCH HOW THE CRIME RATE WILL STOP DROPPING THEN…
I am not a violent person. However just had enough. Trash like this is protected far to much and its time that it changes and let South Africa start in the leading way. So i agree, forget the death penalty and fix things.
Punistment for Criminals. I just love what “Anon” has sugested as possible suitable punishment for the scum bags who commited these crimes. A more suitable punishment would be to give the rotton bastards a sex change, and then let them loose inside the prisons for the other prisoners to deal with.
MAY THEY ROT IN HELL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brutal Murders. When is the Government going to pull their fingers out of their backsides and start dealing with the tragic crimes that are taking place. Perhaps the only time we will see them get off their butts and do anything will be when they have been bribed enough to do so.
Senseless killings are taking place every day in South Africa, because our laws protect the criminals. It is time that our justice system was modified to deal with these brutal bastards just the way it is dealt with in some Eastern and Islamic countries. Justice is attended to in days, and those found guilty are excecuted forthwith. The punishment must fit the crime. A deterant like this will make those thinking of taking the lives of others think very carefully.