The former commander of the Claremont police station, Marius van der Westhuizen, who allegedly shot dead his own children, was cold-blooded in the way he remained calm afterwards, the Cape High Court heard on Tuesday.

Senior Superintendent Denise Brand testified at his trial before judge Willem Louw and assessor M Powell. Van der Westhuizen faces three charges of murder.

Brand, a mother of two teenagers, told the court she had had a close bond with Van der Westhuizen's wife, Charlotte, and had often assisted her emotionally during domestic strife at the Van der Westhuizen home.

She told the court of a telephone call that she received from Van der Westhuizen on the night he allegedly shot dead his three children.

Brand said: "The accused was very calm and said, 'I just want to tell you that I have shot dead all three children — they are dead. You must now look after Charlotte'."

Brand several times fought back tears as she testified and at one stage glared at Van der Westhuizen as he wailed in the dock.

She said the calm manner in which Van der Westhuizen told her he had shot dead his own children was "extremely cold-blooded".

She said she tried hard to remain calm herself, and asked him where he was.

She added: "Cold-bloodedly, he said he was sitting under trees near his home, watching as police searched for him."

Brand said she could not believe that a man who had just shot dead his own children could be so calm.

Brand said she had been out visiting friends on the night of the alleged triple murder, and received a call from Van der Westhuizen's wife on her return home.

She said Charlotte was hysterical and screamed at her that Van der Westhuizen had shot their children.

She told the court: "I could not believe that something like this had happened. I ran around like a mad thing and asked her if she was sure that this had happened."

The case continues.

Sapa