Family left devastated by murder
Student’s brother ‘will never stop asking when she’s coming back’
MURDERED Stellenbosch University student Hannah Cornelius’s autistic brother “will never stop asking when she’s coming back”.
Her uncle, Dries Cornelius, said her parents were devastated after their 21-year-old daughter’s body was found on Saturday morning just outside Stellenbosch.
It has emerged that she had also been raped.
Hannah and a male friend were hijacked in Bird Street in Stellenbosch.
While her friend – who was stabbed – managed to escape‚ she was abducted by the attackers.
Two suspects, Geraldo Parsens and Vernon Junald Witbooi, were arrested at the weekend and appeared in the Stellenbosch Magistrate’s Court yesterday on charges of murder‚ attempted murder‚ rape and hijacking.
The Golf, allegedly for which she was killed, belonged to Hannah’s 91year-old grandmother. She had given Hannah the vehicle when she became too old to drive. Dries Cornelius said Hannah’s 18-year-old brother could not comprehend what had happened to his sister because he has severe autism.
“I assume he will never know about this. You can tell him what happened but he will never stop asking when she’s coming back‚” he said.
A service will be held for the second-year BA humanities student at the Fish Hoek Dutch Reformed Church on Friday at 11am.
Besides being an exceptional pianist, Hannah excelled academically at high school.
Reddam House principal David Clark said she had matriculated with six distinctions and had attained an average of above 85%.
“She just made the world a better place. She was just one of those outstanding kids. It’s just such a tragedy what happened‚” Clark said.
“Hannah was an exceptional drama student. She was just a wonderful allround kid.
“The law must work in full force and the perpetrators must get what’s coming their way.”
Dries said the family was agonising over why she had to die.
“Why? What is the reason behind killing her if you already have the car?
“I mean, if they took the friend and seemingly also tried to kill him . . . it seems they just wanted to kill.
“I just hope they caught the guys who killed her so we don’t wait another 10 years and hope the police find them.
“At this stage we are just trying to process it. We’ll see what happens when the whole family comes together in the Cape. At this stage we can just try to cope and get through this.”