Cape Town - A Hermanus family is appealing to members of the public to help them establish a centre for victims of gender-based violence (GBV) in honour of their daughter who was allegedly murdered by her husband in 2019.
Several months after the death of Teene-Rose Poole, whose body was found behind a popular guest house in Hermanus, her family said her death could have been avoided had there been a centre for GBV victims in the tourist hot spot.
According to the family, the matter had dragged on for more one-and-a-half years despite several witnesses having given police their statements about what they saw and heard the day the mother of three died.
Poole’s mother Jean said:"Despite all the witnesses who have spoken up, the police have done nothing. Instead, all they do is open and close her case every few months. It’s happened five times so far and still no justice for my daughter.”
“They even tried to sell us the story that she killed herself but we all know that’s not true. She had three children and another on the way, she would never have taken her own life. We want justice for Teene-Rose, not backhanded attempts, while her killer is living his life to the fullest with a new family and children.”
Poole’s sister Philreanne Louw said: “All my family wants is justice for my sister, her children, and all the other victims who the police do not help in this town. That is why we want to set up a GBV center in Hermanus.”
“Vulnerable women and children need a place to go when they are hurt. There is no such place at the moment in Hermanus and it’s not to say there are no resources to set a centre up, we are just not being taken seriously by our local government here. So we are calling on any persons or organisations that can help us to please help.”
She said violence against women and children was rife in Hermanus and that women who were victims of abuse had nowhere to go for help, "but a ‘3-by-3 Wendy’ police station".
"What happened to Teene-Rose should not happen to any other woman,” said Louw.
Police spokesperson Andre Traut said Poole’s case was under investigation and yet to be finalised.
Anyone who want to assist the family in setting up a centre for GBV victims in Hermanus can contact Jean Poole on 063 636 4270.
Cape Argus