BIO
The Badenhorst family wields the foremost power in the Boere Mafia. From the 1940s to the 1970s, the late Johan Badenhorst senior was the owner of several properties in Northern Natal, indulging in mineral and cattle speculation. He also owned two vegetable markets, one in Vereeniging, Gauteng, and the other in Parys, Orange Free State. Minerals, according to Badenhorst senior, were the earth’s “salt,” and anyone willing to work for them has the right to mine them. His later engagement with uncut diamonds ultimately led to legal issues.
Johan Badenhorst senior had two sons and four daughters. George Badenhorst, the oldest son, was a civil engineer who oversaw major building and pipeline projects across South Africa through his company, T&H Civil Engineering; sadly, he passed away in a motor vehicle accident in the 1980s. Johan Badenhorst, the younger son, likewise found his calling in the South African Police Service, specialising in dactyloscopy in the 1980s and later utilising his forensic abilities as a detective in the Vaal Triangle.
In the early 1990s, Badenhorst junior, in addition to his police profession, invented the world’s first chemical security system.
This system involved modifying ink used in barcoding products with a novel chemical ingredient combined with regular ink in a new process. The altered ink formula, applied to product wrappers, triggered an alarm if the item was not purchased, detected by an air molecule analyzer. The ink formula was neutralized by an ultraviolet scanner at the purchase point, rendering it undetectable at exit locations.
Subsequently, Badenhorst Junior invented the inaugural car gas alarm system globally during the early 1990s. Alongside two partners, they manufactured and installed gas alarms in the Vaal Triangle. Unfortunately, due to personal issues involving one partner’s inappropriate involvement with the other’s spouse, the partnership was terminated. The Police Service investigated Badenhorst Junior for engaging in these businesses during his off-duty hours. In the 1990s, Badenhorst Junior continued to make notable inventions.
In the early 2000s, Badenhorst junior transitioned from the police force to the information technology industry. He acquired expertise in various disciplines within the information technology sector.
