EFF wants justice for GBV victims, also Gardee
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 suspects who appeared in 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 suspects 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.
Accused number 2, Lukhele, asked to send condolences to the Gardee family, claiming to know the family personally, saying 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, rape, hijacking, defeating the ends justice and 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 laws 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.”
Mente said the Constitution must be changed.
“If a person says they abandon bail, what does that say, doesn’t that smell of guilt, how come you’d be afraid to come out?
“The second thing that was disturbing is that they demanded medical examination because they claimed they had been tortured.
“Gardee’s aunt gave us an image showing the brutality on her body, there were even footprints of boots. Such big men are scared of a small slap from the cells. So why must they go to the doctors while they showed no mercy to Gardee,” said Mente.
Lukhele is an ANC senior researcher in the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature’s Chief Whip Fidel Mlambo’s office.
“We got the information that Lukhele was arrested on Saturday morning. As an office we made our own investigations, it is true that he was arrested. 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,” said Mlambo.
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 that there are more suspects who are being investigated, people of interest and directly linked to the crime positively. 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 stated that the accused will be transferred to Nelspruit Prison during the period of the postponement to receive medical attention following 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.