The family of 39-year-old Hermalise Wenn, a Cape Town mother allegedly murdered by her boyfriend in October, faces their first Christmas without her as they struggle with grief and caring for her two children. Her tragic story highlights the devastating impact of gender-based violence on families, especially during the festive season. “Every mother killed leaves behind children whose lives are permanently altered.” These are the words from TEARS Foundation, an organization that advocates, provides counselling and education services for those impacted by gender-based violence (GBV).
An example of this is GBV victim, Wenn, a mother of two from Elsies River, who was allegedly stabbed and tortured to death by her boyfriend, Clinton “Duiwel” Moses, who was out on parole for a previous stabbing and had a protection order against him. Wenn’s family faces a bleak and sad Christmas without her but what is even more devastating is that the health care worker was planning to celebrate her milestone 40th birthday on December 13. Cape Argus caught up with Wenn’s family following the tragedy, as the family face the harsh reality that she will never be present at their table again, at family gatherings or to tuck her children in at night.
On the fatal day, her 16-year-old son tried to save her, even allegedly being stabbed in the shoulder by Moses, before she told him to “leave him” and he fled with his younger brother, hearing her last words: “Take care of your little brother and yourself and you will be okay.” Moses is expected to make his next appearance in Goodwood Magistrates’ Court this week. Wenn’s cousin, Lee-Ann Stander, who has been advocating on behalf of the family, said the teenager was very traumatised by what had happened and has yet to break his silence. On the day of the funeral, the family bravely carried posters, posting messages to her as they stood at her grave: “Your life was a blessing, your memory a treasure, you are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure.”
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