Described as a go-getter and a hard worker, the family and friends of Vandy Fourie, 53, say they are battling to come to terms with her gruesome death and are left with many questions.
According to Table View police spokeswoman, Captain Adriana Chandler, Ms Fourie’s “lifeless” body was found in one of the rooms in her house in Langley Crescent in Parklands on Thursday March 28 (“Parklands murder suspects arrested,” Tabletalk, April 3).
This comes after police did a wellness check at the house, which was prompted by concerned family members after they could not get hold of Ms Fourie.
Captain Chandler said three men and a woman were charged with murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
She said the suspects were traced to a residence in the Witsands area, in Atlantis.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, the four accused – Patrick Mambozukumi, Ramaganai Tofa, Gift Nkhama and Kelly Mambazukani – appeared at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday April 2.
Mr Ntabazalila said the suspects were due to make their second appearance yesterday, Tuesday April 9, for bail information and a Shona interpreter for Gift Nkhama.
Hendrik Fourie, Ms Fourie’s younger brother, said she “always had a welcoming spirit.”
He said his sister knew the people who murdered her – the woman among the four suspects was Ms Fourie’s housekeeper, while the other men were some of the people she invited to her home for lunch over the festive periods.
He said not only was the family mourning the death of a sister, and daughter, but that their mother had died three weeks before Vandy, of heart failure.
Mr Fourie said he does not want to speculate about the motive for the murder but said the attackers had ample time to rob the house while his sister and her wife, Sonia, were spending some family time at their other brother’s home in Mossel Bay.
“Vandy visited us to help with preparations for my mother’s funeral, and then she suggested that my father spend some time in Cape Town, where they visited my brother in Mossel Bay. They were gone for about seven days until Sonia fell ill. Why was the house not broken into during that time?”
Mr Fourie said that after Sonia had been in hospital for a couple of days she was discharged on Thursday March 28 and called for Vandy to pick her up. Her calls, however, went unanswered, and when she called the housekeeper, she was told that Ms Fourie was too busy to take the call.
However, he said that Sonia requested an e-hailing service to fetch her and in the meantime asked police to check the house to see if all was okay.
“Unfortunately, when Sonia arrived, police gave her the news and she was advised that it’s best she does not enter her home and see the crime scene,” said Mr Fourie.
He said the family are left with so many questions as to why they (the accused) would want to kill his sister.
Perhaps, Mr Fourie said, they did not intend killing her but only knocking her out for some time, quoting from the police report that cites blunt force trauma to the head.
“But we don’t know what and why,” he said, choking up with emotion.
Taking some time to gather his thoughts, Mr Fourie continued: “Vandy being the oldest child of three, was the ‘pioneer’ of the children.”
The family is originally from Kempton Park, Gauteng.
He said that after she finished matric, she studied at the University of Johannesburg, where she qualified as a teacher and also worked in a bank.
But this was not enough for his sister, he said, and while working, later on in her 30s, Ms Fourie studied to be a chartered accountant.
“I always admired the time and relentless effort she would put into any task presented to her, including going to night classes. She was extremely hard-working,” he said.
Mr Fourie said the family will be hosting a private memorial service this Saturday April 13.
He added that it was hard to prepare for the memorial services and he was preparing a poem for Ms Fourie’s farewell.
According to Ms Fourie’s LinkedIn profile, she was the senior project manager: innovation at accounting and auditing firm, Mazars.
Most of her colleagues were too “shocked and heartbroken,” to speak to Tabletalk.
Nishaat Mukkadam, from Mazars’ communications department, said: “Vandy’s commitment to Mazars and its people and her great leadership will be sorely missed by all. She made a positive impact on many ‘Mazarians’ and built lasting relationships.
“Our deepest condolences to her family, friends and colleagues at Mazars. She will always be remembered for her kindness and friendly disposition.”
Women For Change non-profit flagged Ms Fourie’s death under their #SAYHERNAME Facebook post which read: “Rest in Power, Queen”.
The non-profit also called for justice to be served in Ms Fourie’s case.
