EFF ‘wants justice’ for GBV victims
THE EFF is calling for a change in the Constitution which they claim favours perpetrators over victims, following the murder of Hillary Gardee, the daughter of former EFF secretary general, Godrich Gardee.
Three accused who appeared at the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court in connection with the murder abandoned bail yesterday. They claimed to have been tortured in custody and demanded medical attention which the court granted.
The accused, Sipho Mkhatshwa, Philemon Lukhele and Mduduzi Nkala, will be back in court on June 9.
The body of Gardee, 28, who went missing on April 29, was recovered in a timber plantation 40km outside Mbombela last week.
In court, Lukhele asked that his condolences be conveyed to the Gardee family, as he claimed to know them personally, and said he was innocent and his name would be cleared.
Speaking outside court yesterday, EFF national chairperson Veronica Mente told supporters that the suspects were facing six charges – conspiracy to murder, kidnapping, hijacking, defeating the ends justice and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Mente said it was disturbing that Gardee’s name was not mentioned but there were discussions about the well-being of the perpetrators.
“We have a problem here, we are all here for Gardee, but there was nothing said about her today, there is something wrong in this. The law we have in South Africa is that it must be made sure that perpetrators are well, eating, (and) in good condition. What about the victims? They should be prioritised,” said Mente.
Lukhele is an ANC senior researcher in Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature’s chief whip Fidel Mlambo’s office.
Approached for comment, Mlambo said: “We got the information that Lukhele was arrested on Saturday morning. We extend our sincere condolences to the family. Our organisation is against any act of violence against women and children, we are on the side of the victims.”
The Gardee family, EFF leadership, ground forces, gender activists and members of the public who attended the court case had earlier called for the accused to be denied bail.
“A denial of bail will instil confidence in people who are abused in their homes. All people who are suffering abuse need to be taken into confidence, this is the opportunity for our judicial system to do that,” EFF national spokesperson Sinawo Thambo said.
“We are told there are more suspects being investigated, people of interest and directly linked to the crime, and we will await that work to continue to proceed. We don’t want to enter the realm of engaging the social media reports about the names of the suspects,” he said.
The State applied for a postponement in order to conduct further investigations. The prosecutor said the accused would be transferred to Nelspruit Prison during the postponement for medical attention after their claims of torture.
Gardee was buried on Saturday in a moving ceremony attended by the family, EFF, government officials including Police Minister Bheki Cele, and dignitaries from across the continent.