Remembering the young women who were killed
A year has passed since Jesse Hess and Uyinene Mrwetyana were brutally murdered
A MEMORIAL service was held yesterday in honour of UWC theology student Jesse Hess, 18, and her grandfather Chris Lategan, who were both found dead in their Parow flat in Parow
The service was held at the Maitland cemetery, where brightly-coloured ribbons adorned and flowers were placed by a few who visited the site.
The teenager’s aunt, Sandy Hess, said yesterday was a very emotional day for the family.
“We remembered her beautiful smile and loving heart,” she said.
Sandy said she spent yesterday reading the last WhatsApp texts she received from Hess, where she told her about a competition she had entered.
“What was more frustrating for us was to see the case postponed every time. But now we are hopeful that it would be completed, since it was transferred to the Western Cape High Court,” she said.
Two men – David van Boven and Tasliem Ambrose – accused of the murder of Hess and Lategan have been appearing at the Bellville Magistrate’s Court since the day of the arrest.
Community Safety MEC Albert Fritz said he had previously requested that the Department of Community Safety’s court watching brief unit monitor the court processes relating to the double murder.
Fritz said his department has since implemented a range of programmes in the fight against domestic violence (DV) and gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide.
“These steps are geared at ensuring the appropriate steps are followed throughout the criminal justice chain to ensure the safety of our residents,” he said.
He said they are guided in their approach on GBV, femicide and DV by the Monitoring and Evaluation unit.
“The department will continue to conduct the relevant monitoring and evaluation over the police, and provide assistance in terms of its compliance with the DV Act.”
UWC DA students’ organisation acting chairperson Zeke Wareley said this year they commemorated the lives of first-year UCT and UWC students, Uyinene Mrwetyana and Hess.
“These two students were taken away from the two campus communities by heartless men in August last year,” Wareley said.
Hess was a part of the arts faculty as a full-time theology student and had dreams of becoming a leader in church one day.
“We would like to propose to UWC management that the new arts building be renamed the Jesse Hess Arts Building,” Wareley said.