Cape Town - A 74-year-old grandmother has been brutally murdered for tik money.
Police have arrested a 30-year-old man in connection with the murder of Louise Josephine Lourens.
The suspect is an alleged drug addict who also lives at the Parow Park complex where Louise was killed in her house on Tuesday.
The granny was repeatedly punched in the face before being smothered to death with her own bloodied pillow.
Shocked residents tell the Daily Voice Louise was a kind-hearted old lady, known for inviting the homeless into her two-bedroom flat to share her supper with them.
The grandmother of nine had been living in the Parow Park complex for more than 10 years with her son, Johannes van Vuuren.
On Tuesday afternoon, Louise had gone to the shop across the road, and surprised the intruder when she returned.
It is believed the man panicked when she recognised him, and attacked her.
Sources say he punched the helpless old woman in the face repeatedly, until she was unconscious, before he smothered her to death with a pillow.
He stole R400 cash and a silver watch, but was caught on security cameras as he fled the scene.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel André Traut confirmed an arrest has been made.
Traut said: “This office can confirm that the circumstances surrounding the death of a 74-year-old female are being investigated after her body was discovered in her flat at Parow Park yesterday at around 1:25pm.
“Our investigations led to the arrest of a 30-year-old male who is also a resident in the same complex. The motive is expected to be robbery.”
The suspect was expected to make a court appearance in Parow on Thursday on a charge of murder.
Christopher, 36, one of Louise’s seven children, says his mother was a peaceful person.
“My mother was killed like a dog. People don’t even kill animals like that. She was murdered and hit to death with bare hands and that all for drug money! I am angered by the way my mother was killed,” he says.
He adds the family is trying to come to terms with the senseless death.
“Like they say, you never know what you have till it’s gone. And today what I had is gone,” he says emotionally.