Nicolette Dirk
THE death of Bredasdorp teenager Anene Booysen was not in vain. This was the message to the outside world from her aunt Elsabe Sheldan this week.
Booysen was raped and murdered on February 2, 2013. Her killer, Johannes Kana, received two life sentences for the crimes.
“After Anene’s death we started a neighbourhood watch in the area. Thirteen churches from Bredasdorp came together to start the organisation. Everyone decided that we had enough of the violence,” Sheldan said.
The neighbourhood watch, consisting of members of the community and police, now patrols to keep an eye on the area. Oog op die Kind(eye on the child) is an organisation that resulted from the formation of the neighbourhood watch. Sheldan belongs to both organisations.
“We keep an eye on children wandering the streets at night. We don’t want another rape and murder incident in this area,” said Sheldan.
Despite feeling grateful about the work being done, Sheldan feels let down by the justice system.
“I don’t understand why Johannes Kana was the only one punished for a crime which he could not have committed on his own. His family lives close to us and still don’t believe he is the guilty one,” said Sheldan.
Besides losing her niece, Sheldan also lost her sister, Corlia Olivier, to cancer earlier this year. Olivier was Booysen’s foster mother.
“I still cry for my sister. We recently held a Relay for Cancer in the area and I could feel her presence with us,” she said.
Memories of Anene also still live with her close friend, Letisha Snyders, 14,
Snyders said she had known Booysen since she was six.
“We used to tell each other everything. She was like a sister to me because my two brothers and sister don’t live with us,” said Snyders.