Police are investigating the mysterious death of an elderly woman in her house on the Cape Flats.
The bloody body of the Hanover Park woman was found on her kitchen floor last week.
Family of the late Ursula Hugo are now trying to piece together events leading up to her death in her home in John Turf Road.
She was discovered last Wednesday after neighbours became worried when they did not see the 63-year-old grandmother emerge from her house for nearly a week.
A small boy jumped over the fence, and found her door open and Ursula lying on the floor with an open wound to the head.
Her cousin, Izabel Small, 62, says Ursula would usually sweep her yard and do housework before relaxing in the sun with a cup of tea.
“Her neighbours started worrying, when after six days, they did not see her or any movement in her house,” Izabel explains.
The concerned neighbours alerted police who immediately came to investigate.
“She was lying on her kitchen floor in a pool of her own blood since Saturday,” a heartbroken Izabel says.
Izabel, who grew up in the same house as Ursula and who regarded her as a sister, says they are now trying to figure out why Ursula was killed since she wasn’t robbed.
“There is nothing missing from the house, we checked to see if anything was stolen,” Izabel says.
“We think someone broke in and there was a scuffle, they hit her in the head and left her there.”
Captain FC van Wyk says Ursula’s body was found just after 5pm on Wednesday.
“The 63-year-old deceased female had an open wound to her head. The police was called to investigate as the 63-year-old female wasn’t seen outside her residence since Friday, 17 March. Police is investigating a case of murder.”
Izabel says the family did not find it odd when Ursula did not contact them since she was an “independent woman and liked to keep to herself”.
Her son, Angelo Hugo, 33, says his mother will be missed.
“I can’t get over it. I grew up in that house for 26 years and nothing ever happened.
“I’ll miss walking into her house and being welcomed by her smile,” he says emotionally.
Police asks anyone with information to contact Detective Captain Zain Kwatiyo at 079 516 6654 or 021 690 1517.