Broken family and friends gathered in Lavender Hill to pay emotional tribute to loved ones who died in gender based violence (GBV) and gang violence.
The event was organised as a means for residents to open up about their trauma to start healing their wounds.
Clutching a large portrait of a smiling young woman in her arms, Sherry Lee Mentoor said her friend Tracy died due to GBV.
“Tracy-Lee was a very amazing person, everybody who met her loved her. She had a home no matter where she went. She lit up the room the moment she walked into it and the way she died; she didn’t deserve it at all.”
Pausing for a few seconds to steady her voice she continued: “She was murdered out of jealousy and she was only 28-years-old.
“A lot of us, we go through things and we don’t speak about it, we keep it to ourselves. But open up, speak to your family because if we knew what was going on with Tracy then we could have helped her, we could have made a difference.”
With a tremor in her voice Mentoor says Tracy could still have been alive today if only they knew what she was going through at the time.
“I know everyone has differences with their family but just check-up occasionally. The person that Tracy was, she would not touch a fly. We didn’t know what was going on. And for the way that she died, it just broke us completely because she did not deserve it at all. She was an amazing person.”
She added that the suspect arrested in connection with Tracy’s murder is expected back in court on Friday 22 April.
“Tracy Lee definitely deserves justice.”
Deslyn de Villiers, a community member who lost her brother to murder, said he had a prosperous future in the film industry.
“I just want to say condolences to each and every family who lost a loved one.
“My brother Darryl was shot and killed three years and eight months ago. It was a very trying time for our family as Darryl had a very prosperous career in the film industry. Darryl met the likes of people we can only dream of.
“The suspect who was caught for his murder was caught the same day, five minutes from when he was shot. We went to court many times, and you feel like the justice system is failing you and you give up certain times but we as a family never gave up. My encouragement today is for the parents that are still journeying like Tracy-Lee’s mommy and Courtney’s mom who are still going to court.
“My encouragement is, don’t give up.”
On Wednesday 23 February the suspect arrested for her brother’s death was sentenced for his crime.
“It wasn’t easy. We are here to encourage you that there is hope,” said de Villiers.
Fetching a picture from the memorial display Melonie Van Nelson, who lost two sons in separate incident, holds the portrait high and says: “This is my son Jackson; I am a proud mother standing here today despite what he did and who he was. I never stopped praying.
“It is tragic how he died but all I can do through, my hurt and pain, is pray.”
Tears flowing down her cheeks Van Nelson takes a moment to compose herself.
“It’s not easy.” Taking a second portrait to show the community she adds: “Courtney was the first one. He was 16-years-old and a Grade 9 learner at Lavender Hill High, he was at the school for only three months. He died on a Saturday after 19:00 the evening. I wasn’t home and they phoned me. ‘Mel, where are you? They just shot Courtney’. Mothers, if I could have changed that moment I would have been there. I wasn’t there to see where he was shot. He was shot five times with hollow point bullets. He was full of holes.
“I found him at the day hospital. If I think back today. If I just ran pass that security at the trauma unit, just to hold my son’s hand, even knowing that he wouldn’t make it. It hurt so much. I was broken. He died on 10 March 2018.”
Mark Nicholson, one of the event organisers, said the event was mainly a healing service for those who lost their lives.
“We are trying to heal and restore the people within our community due to the fact that we lost so many of our young people due to violence.”
