Jeremy Moonsamy with his sister, Michaela Moonsamy Yellapan.
Image: Supplied
Two years after a Gauteng woman was shot and killed outside a restaurant, her family still waits for justice.
Michaela Moonsamy Yellapan, 28, of Benoni, was shot and killed allegedly after two men opened fire on her, her husband Cameron Yellapan, her brother Jeremy Moonsamy, and two of their friends outside a restaurant in Boksburg on May 18, 2024.
Yellapan, a financial accountant at a law firm, was shot once in the head and died in her brother’s arms.
Brandon Govender was subsequently arrested and charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder. He is expected to next appear in the Boksburg Regional Court on June 10.
The matter has not been set for trial as yet. Govender is currently out on bail.
Her brother, Jeremy Moonsamy, said they were still waiting for the pre-trial hearing which would determine the trial's start date.
"But we are not sure when it will happen as there have been many adjournments over the past two years. However, we will not lose hope because our family and many people in South Africa and across the world who know about this case want justice to be served," said Moonsamy.
"Sadly, the case has been treated as 'just another case', but for our family it is not. My sister’s life was taken, yet the accused is out on bail and walks around freely. While at times it feels like our justice system is failing us, we still put our trust and faith in God because we know He will never fail us," he said.
Moonsamy said the family struggled to come to terms with their loss two years later.
"Everything still feels like a dream. At times we still feel like my sister is here with us, but then reality kicks in. It is never easy. Time does not heal. It just teaches us how to live and deal with this pain.
"Losing Michaela has been the hardest thing I have had to face. She wasn't just my sister, she was my strength, my safe place, and my everything. We shared a bond that time can never break. She understood me in ways no one else ever could, and her love carried me through so many moments in my life. I miss her voice, laughter, and presence.
"There is an emptiness that nothing can fill, but I hold on to the memories we created and the love we shared. That’s what keeps me going," he said.