A fatal oversight: Gqeberha guesthouse owner jailed for carbon monoxide deaths

What was meant to be a quiet getaway in the Eastern Cape ended in tragedy and this week, justice caught up with the man at the centre of it.

The Gqeberha Regional Court has sentenced Kareedouw guesthouse owner Kevin Pretorius, 53, to an effective 10 years behind bars after finding him guilty on two counts of murder. The charges stem from the deaths of Mari Hoon, 28, and her fiancé, Jean Vosloo, 25, who died from carbon monoxide poisoning while staying at Kliphuis Guesthouse in April 2020.

For many in the hospitality industry, the judgment has sent shockwaves. For the families of the couple, it has been a long road to accountability.

A silent killer in the bathroom

According to the National Prosecuting Authority, the young couple inhaled toxic carbon monoxide fumes that had accumulated inside their bathroom.

The source was a defective gas geyser installation.

The geyser had no flue pipe, a crucial component that channels hazardous gases safely outside a building. Although the system was fitted with a safety sensor designed to shut it down if no flue pipe was present, the device was not functioning properly.

Carbon monoxide is odourless and invisible. There is no warning smell. No visible smoke. Victims often do not realise they are in danger until it is too late.

That fact weighed heavily during the trial.

Warnings that went unheeded

Prosecutor Johan Jansen told the court that Pretorius personally installed the gas geyser despite having no formal qualifications or training to carry out gas installations.

Evidence further revealed that concerns had been raised before the fatal incident. Guests had complained in July 2019 and again in March 2020 about smelling gas on the premises.

Despite these red flags, no qualified professional was called in. The defect was not properly remedied.

The court ultimately agreed with the State’s argument: Pretorius had disregarded safety requirements and repeated warnings, exposing paying guests to a foreseeable and fatal risk.

In a commercial establishment operating for profit, that failure amounted to a breach of duty of care.

The sentence and the message

Pretorius received 10 years’ imprisonment on each count of murder, with the sentences running concurrently resulting in an effective 10-year term.

He has also been declared unfit to possess a firearm under the Firearms Control Act and ordered to surrender any firearms, ammunition and licences in his possession.

The defence applied for leave to appeal, arguing that the court erred in its factual findings. Leave to appeal against both conviction and sentence has been granted. However, an application for bail pending appeal was dismissed.

Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions Barry Madolo said the matter highlights the serious legal obligations of those operating facilities open to the public.

Those who ignore safety standards, he said, must expect serious criminal consequences.

A wider conversation about safety

In the wake of the ruling, conversations have erupted online, not only about accountability, but about safety compliance in South Africa’s booming guesthouse and Airbnb market.

Across smaller towns in the Eastern Cape and beyond, many guesthouses are family-run businesses. While that personal touch is often their charm, this case underscores a stark reality: hospitality comes with legal responsibility.

Gas installations in South Africa are regulated. Qualified technicians are required for installation and compliance certification. Skipping that step to cut costs or out of misplaced confidence, can be deadly.

This tragedy has reignited public calls for stricter inspections and enforcement, especially in smaller towns where oversight can be inconsistent.

Beyond the courtroom

In aggravation of sentence, the court considered victim impact statements that detailed the ongoing trauma suffered by the families of Mari Hoon and Jean Vosloo.

Their loss is permanent.

The defence presented reports from a probation officer and a social worker, noting that Pretorius was a first offender with community ties and arguing for a non-custodial sentence.

But the court found no genuine remorse and emphasised the gravity of the offence.

At its heart, the case was not about an accident in isolation. It was about choices, installing a geyser without training, ignoring warnings, and failing to correct a known hazard.

A sobering reminder for travellers

For travellers planning weekend getaways or holiday stops, the story is unsettling.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is rare, but when it happens, it is often linked to faulty appliances or improper ventilation.

Experts recommend that accommodation providers install certified systems and regularly service gas appliances. Guests, too, are increasingly asking questions about safety compliance before booking.

In a province that relies heavily on tourism and small hospitality businesses, trust is everything.

This ruling makes one thing clear: when that trust is broken through negligence, the consequences will be criminal, not just civil.

For two families, no sentence can undo what happened in April 2020. But for the broader industry, the message is unmistakable.

Duty of care is not optional.

{Source: IOL}

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