The community of Lutzville-West near Vredendal is still grappling to come to terms with the death of Carmen Gouws, who was brutally killed on her 21st birthday exactly one year ago.
The man accused of stalking and then murdering the young woman, Calvin Cloete, appeared in the circuit sitting at Vredendal Magistrate's Court yesterday, where he faces charges of murder.
The case was moved to Vredendal by the Western Cape High Court to make it easier for locals to attend.
Just weeks before Carmen’s death, Cloete had been set free after serving time in jail for stalking and stabbing the deceased.
At the time of her death, Carmen's family said he had come to their home to apologise for stabbing her, and hours later he sent them a text message to say that he would “give them a gift they will never forget for the rest of their lives”.
Carmen was axed to death, her body was found by children.
Cloete has already made a string of court appearances, and abandoned his bail application soon after his arrest.
The case has now been postponed to 21 October for him to secure legal representation.
Family spokesperson, Sarah Bakamela-Mgema, says she is positive that justice will be served.
“So far so good, we still have hope in the justice system that they will do right and that justice will be served, that is what we are praying for,” she said.
Speaking outside court, Billy Claasen of the Rural and Farmworkers Development Organization, said violence against women and children is a pandemic that is getting bigger and bigger.
“We should take each others hand and stand together across political affiliation, and that is what I really want,” he said.