A life for a life: The little tree planted for Anni
IN the heart of Khayelitsha, Cape Town, is a tiny garden that is home to a tree that carries a sad story.
The tree, about one metre in height, is a member of the acacia family of trees, said to symbolise purity, endurance of the soul, resurrection and immortality.
Added to this is that the name of its location – Khayelitsha – means “new home”.
Apt, perhaps, when one considers what motivated Ilitha Park resident Andrea Dondolo to plant the tree in her Sinqolamti Street garden.
The garden is a stone’s throw from the spot where newlywed Anni Dewani was shot dead in what her husband, Shrien Dewani, says was a hijacking four years ago.
Thursday was the fourth anniversary of her death and Anni’s family, who held a prayer ritual at the scene, saw the tree for the first time.
They had heard about it and seen photographs of it in the e-mail correspondence they had with Dondolo, but they had not stood before it.
And their intention is to continue to watch its progress and growth as the years pass, through their contact with Dondolo.
Explaining what led her to plant the tree, Dondolo said Anni’s blood seeped on to the ground not far from her garden.
She was a firm believer in finding a way of “balancing things”.
“(Her blood) was washed into the earth.
“The earth received it. Her heartbeat went into the earth.”
Dondolo added that, through planting the tree, she was giving back a life after a life had ended.
“Anni is part of us now,” she said.
It was a heart-wrenching scene as Anni’s parents, Vinod and Nilam Hindocha, and brother Anish prayed together and paid tribute to Anni at the spot where she drew her last breath.
They then made their way to the tree Dondolo had planted, where they placed a picture of Anni before Anish Hindocha, flanked by his parents, spoke.
“We want to thank all the South African people for (their) support. (Anni) has received many brothers and sisters.
“You are all our brothers and sisters now.
“Hopefully we will get justice soon,” he said, choking back tears.
The family then drove to a temple in Rylands Estate for a private ceremony.