In a gut-wrenching turn of events, the rural community of Lutzville West, on the West Coast, is grappling with the murder of Carmen Gouws, who was killed with an axe on her 21st birthday, allegedly by a man who had a history of abusing her.
Anti gender based violence activist, Reverend June Dolley-Major, has now appealed to the public to help raise funds for her funeral as the family is poor and cannot afford the unexpected expense.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Gouws’s cousin, Charmaine Lewies, said she had been enjoying her birthday party with friends into the early hours of Saturday.
“Her boyfriend brought her home, he dropped her off at the gate.
“A few hours later when the sun was up her mother was looking for her.
“During that time her boyfriend also came around the house and said he brought her home.
“Then we knew something was not right. We checked with her friends, they hadn’t seen her.
“Then children came across her at a farm, her brother was with them. “They came to tell us, she's lying there with a hole in the head.
“We thought she may be passed out drunk but when we got there we saw her body was lifeless.”
According to the family, a witness then came to inform them about what had happened.
“He came and said ‘you don’t know it’s (the suspect)’, he last saw them together.
“(The suspect) has been obsessed with her since she was in Grade 8.
“She dropped out of school because he would wait for her at the bus stop and grab her.
“He spent three years in prison for stabbing her in the arm.
“He just came out three weeks ago.
“She still drank tablets when she heard he was coming out because she was scared. I don't know how we will get over it. We can't sleep, it’s very difficult.”
Dolley-Major said is was upsetting that Gouws only got to enjoy peace for three years of her life.
“He spent such a short time in prison, he was not rehabilitated that’s why he came out to finish it off.
“Domestic violence and bail shouldn’t be happening.
“Three years is not sufficient for abusing someone, torturing them since school days.
“More needs to be done for victims, police efforts are too perpetrator-centred. She barely got to celebrate her birthday and now her family can’t even afford a funeral,” Dolley-Major said.
Police spokesperson, Wesley Twigg, confirmed Lutzville police were investigating a case of murder.
“The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.
We can confirm that a male suspect was arrested and will appear in court once he has been charged,” he said.
To offer assistance to the family, Dolley-Major can be contacted on 061 495 3267 or donations can be made to Sanna Magdaline Gouws, Absa Bank account 009282242932.
Cape Times