SAMRA Delegate Murdered

In South Africa, consumer psychology expert Dr Klaas Jonkheid has been found dead after attending a conference of the Southern African Marketing Research Society (SAMRA) last week.

Jonkheid, owner of Johannesburg agency The Consumer Psychology Lab, arrived in the Western Cape on Wednesday to serve as a judge at the conference. His burnt body was found in Faure at the weekend.

Stellenbosch police spokesperson René Matthee said Jonkheid, 48, apparently died of a head injury, thought to be a shot, but had been set alight after his death. Matthee said Jonkheid had left Spier at about 3pm on Friday and failed to return in the evening for a closing dinner. He was due to fly back to Johannesburg at 8am on Saturday, and was reported missing by his wife Liezel, before a passer-by called police on finding the body in a churchyard.

An experienced consumer psychologist and marketing strategist, Jonkheid worked on brand management at Cadbury Schweppes, and as Head of Research and Strategy at ad agency FCB South Africa. With his wife, he started The Consumer Psychology Lab in 2005, focusing on consumer and brand research and strategy, as well as change management. He held an Honours Degree in Business Economics, a Masters Degree in Business Management, and a Doctorate in Consumer Behaviour; and was a member of the Society for Consumer Psychology in the US. In earlier appearances at the SAMRA convention he won the prize for the best qualitative research paper, and the following year the SAMRA trophy for the best overall paper. He also lectured regularly at the Witwatersrand and Rand Afrikaans universities.

A Harley-Davidson enthusiast, Jonkheid was driving a rented blue Toyota Yaris around the time of his death, and the car is still missing.

His company is online at www.consumerlab.co.za .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.