Free-spirited adventurer mysteriously murdered

At 22-years-old, Capetonian Atarah Katzeff had done more than most people do in a lifetime. She danced on the sea floor while diving; climbed the Drakensberg on 10-day hikes; and chased every adventure in between, from bungee jumping to horse riding, kayaking, and climbing. After matriculating from Herzlia, Atarah – known as Tara – found her place at Warriors Academy in Limpopo, where she did two years of outdoor adventuring, and then went on to become an instructor there, living and teaching her passion.

But this was also where her vibrant life was cut short. On 28 July, her lifeless body was found in her room at the academy. At first, no foul play was suspected as nothing had been stolen and the room was in order. But it was then determined that she had been strangled. Police and a private investigator are working to find the killer, but “it won’t bring her back”, says her devastated father, lawyer Paul Katzeff.

An identical twin with sister Ariella, older sister to Daniel, and daughter of Anthea and Paul, Tara’s years at Warriors Academy were the first time the twins had been apart. Now, in the wake of her sister’s death, Ariella wrote on Instagram: “What can you say when you’ve lost a part of yourself? Tara is my everything, she’s my other half, my best friend, my twin, the person I would have done anything for. As long as we had each other, everything would be okay, we could get through anything. I can feel her with me, and it truly feels that she’s trying to reach me, to tell me that I need to be strong. But how does one keep going when their worst nightmare has come true?”

Paul says Tara had dreams of instructing on adventure programmes overseas. He was five hours away from Cape Town, heading to a motorbiking trip in Namibia, when he got the news. “It’s the worst call any parent can get. I then had to return to Cape Town and tell my family. It’s like a horror movie. We’re taking it one day at a time.”

He and his family flew to the academy in Limpopo, where they met a private investigator and spent half a day on the scene. They have appointed private investigation company Privadect to look into Tara’s death. Privadect adheres to a strict nondisclosure policy while investigating, and therefore wouldn’t comment to the SA Jewish Report.

“The investigation is at a very sensitive stage,” says Paul. “There are various leads and evidence that have been uncovered. Some suspects have been questioned. We’re still awaiting the outcome of some findings. I had a feeling there was more than meets the eye. Tara was a healthy girl, and it was unlikely she would suddenly pass away.”

Paul says everyone at the academy is “very traumatised”, and they had a ceremony for Tara, dedicated a bench in her name, and made a moving video tribute.

Warriors Academy owner Rudi Viljoen told the SA Jewish Report, “We are so very sorry. Tara was like a daughter to us. We only choose the best to become instructors. She was especially good with school groups that visit. She was so dynamic, and stronger than the boys!”

He said that on the weekend of Tara’s death, most of his family, who live and work at the academy, were away. Only a couple of other staff members were around, and a fellow instructor found Tara’s body. “Her murder is still under investigation, but the professionals have made it clear this is an isolated case. For our entire 21 years, we have always prided ourselves on a safe environment. Nothing like this has ever happened.” He says the Katzeffs have been wonderful ambassadors for the academy, and he appreciates their continued support in spite of the tragedy.

Paul says Tara was “in her element” at Warriors Academy, where she “felt completely safe, and was proud of her achievements”. He remembers that “while she and her sister were shy at school, they also had adventurous spirits, and wanted to go bungee jumping at a young age – which they both did twice! We also took a diving trip to Egypt, living on a boat for a week. We were planning another diving trip in January.”

Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, the media liaison for the police in Limpopo, confirmed that a case of murder is being investigated He called on anyone with information to come forward. The day after the murder, a community meeting was held to discuss security in the area. A local newspaper reported that residents were “fearing for their lives at night”.

On the Warriors Academy website, Tara wrote, “I’ve always loved the outdoors and the adventures that come with it. There’s nothing I love more than being at the bottom of the ocean, enjoying the silence the water brings, or being at the top of a mountain in the pure serenity of nature. I am also a big adrenaline junkie, and Warriors definitely brings that out of me in the best way possible. I’ve found many passions like kayaking and climbing, and can’t wait to assist the amazing people joining us.”

She is listed as being qualified in abseil supervision; wilderness first aid; survival facilitation; mountain bike guiding; advanced open water dive training; and rescue scuba diving, among other skills.

Tara was laid to rest at the Pinelands Jewish cemetery in Cape Town, and her family thanks the community for the “huge outpouring of love and support”. Rabbi Greg Alexander, who officiated at the twins’ baby naming and later their Batmitzvah, told the SA Jewish Report from his sabbatical in London that “I was blessed to study with Atarah and Ariella in preparation for their Batmitzvah, and to see them grow up to be young adults in the community.  I cannot imagine what this must feel like for her family. The loss to our community is great.”

On Instagram, Ariella described her and Tara as having “twin telepathy”, saying, “You broke the twin code – you’re not allowed to go first. No one else knows just what I’m thinking, or will say a whole paragraph at exactly the same time with the exact same words as me.”

Ariella says Tara “loved yellow, and was obsessed with parrot fish. What a beast she was, one of the strongest women I’ve ever met. Those muscles – she was proud of them and validly so. I remember when she first went to Warriors, she was so sure she was going to leave and never go back. Not long after, she realised she had found something special. She found a home away from home, and that place would change her life. She changed so many people’s lives in the process. She made me strong, and now we all have to be strong for her.”

She wrote that she and her sister “were complete opposites in so many ways, but exactly the same in so many others. The one can’t survive without the other, but I’m going to try my best for you, Tara.”