POLICE IN SOUTH Africa have started a murder probe after a well-known Irish charity worker was murdered in Cape Town. 

John Curran, who was in his 60s, was found dead in his apartment yesterday morning. Early indications suggest he was stabbed to death.

Curran worked for the Mellon Educate charity. He was well-known in Irish education circles and had been principal of a school in Dublin.

His body was formally identified today by one of his co-workers. 

A statement from the Irish Primary Principal’s Network, of which Curran was a member, paid tribute to him. 

A statement on its website read: “It is with a profound sense of shock, sadness and disbelief that we acknowledge the sudden passing of John Curran, highly esteemed colleague and friend to all in IPPN, in South Africa today, 7th November.

“We are numbed and finding it very hard to process the information. John was predeceased by his son Eoin, who died in a tragic sailing accident in 2010, and is survived by Liz and their children Darragh, Tríona and Donal, their partners Clodagh, Liam and Beck, his six grandchildren and his sisters Dolores and Paula.

“Our hearts go out to his family, his very wide circle of friends, his colleagues and all who knew him.  A founding member of IPPN, John served on the IPPN Executive Committee  from 2000 to 2007 and was PRO from 2005 to 2009.”

The Department of Foreign Affairs is offering consular assistance to his family. South African police are trying to establish a motive for the crime and are reviewing CCTV from Curran’s apartment complex.