dirt-poor youngster to becoming a millionaire businessman. His only daughter would pull off a similar feat one day.
Six months after his death an inquest began in the Benoni magistrate’s court, where evidence was heard, also from Charlize, about the events of that Friday evening. On 19 February 1992 a Johannesburg newspaper reported about an unexpected twist in the inquest:
The 44-year-old millionaire’s family asked that forensic tests be done in the police laboratories on the clothes he had worn on the evening of the shooting. They had fetched the clothes from the morgue. Attorney Sim Kotzé of Kempton Park, who yesterday assisted the elegantly clad widow, Gerda Theron, 39, during the third day of the inquest, said: “We have no objection to such tests. We want everything to be put on the table.”
A pathologist testified that Charles had been struck by four bullets, which had wounded him in his left arm, left shoulder and chest.
The last witness was Joseph Gawele (also known as Rakwele). The 71-year-old man, who had worked for Charles, testified that Charles had rattled the safety door, had knocked on the kitchen door behind the safety door and had then fired a shot at an [empty] dog kennel. Mrs Theron had then opened the kitchen door. She had sworn, asked what was going on and slammed the door shut, locking it. Joseph was very emotional while testifying.
On 3 September 1992, Magistrate Rencia Knight decided that the court could make no ruling because of apparent contradictions between the forensic report and the pathologist’s report. The pathologist was of the opinion that the wound in Charles’s left shoulder was an exit wound, while the forensic report stated that it was an entry wound. The magistrate referred the case to the prosecution authorities, and two years later it was finally decided not to prosecute Gerda.
Charles’s family was upset that no trial would take place in which the events of the evening could be unravelled. According to the statement of Lance Sergeant Anton Koen (the first policeman on the scene), it seemed that Charles had fired three shots and Gerda five. His mother, Bettie, even wrote a letter to the magistrate, in which she made certain allegations. Danie Theron, too, was unhappy that Gerda was never charged with attempted murder for shooting him inside the house and shattering his fingers. At the same time, however, there was relief that Charlize would be spared the trial after the trauma of her father’s death.
Elsa said that when the police gave them the clothes Charles had been wearing on the evening of his death, she had felt in his pockets. The key of the safe in which he kept his firearms and his cash was still in his trouser pocket. It was also the safe in which the shotgun was kept that Gerda and Charlize had mentioned in their statements. The safe was at the door of the main bedroom. It seemed that Charles had walked past the safe without taking the key from his pocket. His body had lain at the entrance to the bathroom. Elsa said it looked as if Charles had walked past the safe on his way to the bathroom.
But to her and her family it remains a mystery what had gone through his mind that evening that had made him, by all accounts a gentle-natured man, fire at a door lock. What had created such fear in mother and daughter that they had considered their lives in danger? (Charlize later said that if she had been in her mother’s shoes, she would have done exactly the same thing.)
Gerda kept her and Charles’s business going for a while and moved from the plot to a beautiful home in Benoni. She also formed a close friendship with Ivor McCulloch, a former family friend and business associate of the Therons, and a divorced father of two sons. One of the sons, Denver, was the same age as Charlize, and they had known each other since childhood. In her letter to the magistrate, Bettie Moolman referred to McCulloch, who had come to console Gerda at home after Charles’s death. Gerda and McCulloch indeed later had such a firm friendship that Charlize referred to him as her stepfather. He and Gerda paid a visit to Charlize in America, and were even photographed at glamorous events with Charlize.
But Charles’s death had brought an end to Charlize’s relationship with her father’s family and her grandmother Bettie. Her grandmother’s accusation on the Sunday after her father’s death must have been very hard for Charlize to bear.
Bettie told me that at least she had the consolation of the last words ever spoken to her by her son, thanks to the affectionate habit of the Theron family: “I love you, Mommy.”
En route, 1991–1992
She was like tens of thousands of other young girls, in her mother’s high heels and beads in front of the mirror, going to school, gap-toothed and barefoot. But Charlize was also different from tens of thousands of other young girls. Because the glass slipper fitted her foot.
Joan Kruger, Rooi Rose
Winner
The judges of the Rooi Rose Model ’91 competition made their initial selection in June 1991 and compiled a shortlist from the more than 600 entries, based on the photographs that the girls had included. Retha Snyman, organiser of the competition and at the time also long-time organiser of the Miss South Africa beauty pageant, said that, on the photographs they studied, Charlize had a pretty face, but was nothing exceptional. There were more beautiful girls, many with modelling experience, and Charlize was very young. Still, it was decided to shortlist her for a personal interview, after which the finalists would be chosen.
According to Retha, the moment they met the participants on the short list, there had been no further doubt about Charlize. She was one of the youngest, but she had the confidence of someone much older than her fifteen years. When she walked into a room, every eye was on her. The combination of beauty, talent and natural grace was unique. It was clear that she had that special something essential for success.
Twelve days after her father’s death, Charlize heard that she was one of the ten finalists in the competition. Photographs of the finalists – a full-length shot in swimwear and a facial shot – were published on 3 July 1991. Charlize’s hair was long and it was styled wet, as if she had just come out of the water. The caption read: “Lovely Charlize Theron comes from the Benoni district. She is fifteen years old, 1,75 metres tall and her measurements are 84–65–91.”
On Friday evening, 2 August, six days before her sixteenth birthday, Charlize, with no previous modelling experience, was named the winner of the Model ’91 competition during a direct broadcast from Johannesburg. One of her prizes was the chance to take part in the international New Model Today competition in Italy. After she had received her prizes on stage, she asked whether she might say a few words. She thanked everyone with great confidence and charm. Joan Kruger, editor of Rooi Rose at the time, said the audience must have wondered whether Charlize could really be just a standard-eight girl. She made special mention of Charlize’s determination, which was immediately apparent when one spoke to her. She would even stick out her chin slightly, Joan said.
But now this beautiful teenager was on her way to Italy, and there had to be concerns about how vulnerable or strong she would be. And how did her mother feel? To have ambition for one’s daughter is nothing new, but to turn her over to potential predators at such a young age is a different story.
At a hotel in Johannesburg Joan conducted the very first magazine interview ever with Charlize on 3 August 1991, the morning after the crowning. Despite having slept for only fifteen minutes, Charlize arrived as fresh as a spring flower in her chic suit, with Gerda by her side.
As the editor of Rooi Rose, sponsor of the competition, and mother of a teenage daughter herself, Joan felt responsible for the young Charlize. (Her daughter attended ballet classes with Charlize and performed in shows with her.) In 2008 she revealed to me for the first time her serious reservations at the time about the Italian modelling company that was her magazine’s co-sponsor, especially
