Founder and publisher of the economic publication 'Who Owns Whom', Robin McGregor, was found murdered in his bathroom on Tuesday, Western Cape police said.

Captain Elliot Sinyangana said the 79-year-old publicist was found in his Tulbagh home with stab wounds to his head, chest and stomach.

Suspects arrested

McGregor's body was discovered after police on a routine patrol spotted a grey Mercedes Benz Kompressor in Neethling Street, Bellville South.

Police pulled the car off the road, questioned the three occupants about its ownership and took them to the local police station.

The car was found to be owned by McGregor.

When police went to the address they found his body in the bathroom.

Investigation revealed that two safes were stolen from the house.

"At the moment it is unclear what was in the two safes and that's subject to investigation," said Sinyangana.

The three men were arrested and charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, murder and theft.

They are expected to appear in the Tulbagh Magistrate's Court soon.

McGregor's legacy

According to whoownswhom.co.za, the economic publication 'Who Owns Whom' was founded by McGregor 28 years ago with the first edition published in 1980.

"Who Owns Whom launched the McGregor Information Services Online information vendor in 1986 (now called McGregor BFA and owned by Media24) which was sold to Naspers twelve years later in 1998.

"Who Owns Whom is an independent research organisation producing high quality, original research on the South African business and economic environment," the website said.

McGregor remained on the board and was responsible for monitoring quality control of Who Owns Whom research.

According to book retailer Amazon, the 13th edition of 'McGregor's Who Owns Whom' is a summary of the annual report of every company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, plus those on the stock exchanges of Harare, Windhoek and Gaborone.

Sapa