Hospitality horror: EFF calls for evacuation of students at guest house 'where Hillary Gardee was kept'

10 May 2022 - 16:54
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It is believed Hillary Gardee was kept at this guest house after she was kidnapped.
It is believed Hillary Gardee was kept at this guest house after she was kidnapped.
Image: Thapelo Morebudi

The EFF is calling for the immediate evacuation of all students who reside at Insika Guest House in Mbombela, Mpumalanga. 

This after owner Philemon Lukhele appeared in court on Monday in connection with the murder of Hillary Gardee.

Lukhele appeared with Albert Mduduzi Gama and Sipho Lawrence Mkhatshwa in the Nelspruit magistrate’s court to face charges of rape, murder, kidnapping, possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition and conspiracy to commit murder. 

The men abandoned their plans to apply for bail.

On Tuesday the EFF in Mpumalanga called the lodge a “house of horror in which young black children are treated with highest hospitality of hell”.

On Monday the University of Mpumalanga terminated its contracts with Lukhele. In a termination letter seen by TimesLIVE, dean of students Paul Maminza said the university had accredited three Insika Guest House student accommodation facilities to accommodate students.


It said it had serious concerns about the allegations against Lukhele.

“The university takes these developments very seriously and has, in keeping with its value of integrity and for the safety and wellbeing of our students, no other option but to cancel the accreditation of the three lnsika Guest House student accommodation facilities with immediate effect.”

Maminza said all university students staying at the three facilities had been informed the accreditation had been terminated and the students would have to relocate to other accredited accommodation.

The EFF is also calling for the immediate termination of employment of Lukhele as chief researcher for the ANC caucus at the Mpumalanga provincial legislature.

The party urged women who had been subjected to abduction, abuse, rape or robbery “in the same way as Hillary” to come forward and report the incidents to the EFF or police. 

Hillary, aged 28, is the slain daughter of former EFF secretary-general Godrich Gardee. The IT graduate was found murdered last Tuesday, four days after she went missing while on a shopping trip with her three-year-old adopted daughter. 

Her body was found by timber workers in a field outside Mbombela. She had been assaulted and shot at the back of her head. 

The charge sheet presented before court on Monday alleged her abduction was planned as early as January. 

TimesLIVE

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