Malema slams ‘brainless’ conspiracy theories about Hillary Gardee’s death

EFF leader Julius Malema has hit back at conspiracy theories about the death of Hillary Gardee, daughter of the party’s former secretary-general Godrich Gardee.

The body of the 28-year-old was found near Mbombela, Mpumalanga, after she was reported missing last Friday.

Malema dismissed conspiracy theorists’ attempts to link her death to the EFF’s open borders policy.

“Brainless people will always try to find a reason, even where it doesn’t exist,” said Malema.

“Women were killed in this country before the EFF was formed. Therefore, to attribute the killing of a woman to the policy of the EFF of open borders is to expose the size of your brain. That it is the same level and size of a peanut.”

He said crimes against women started in the colonial era.

“They have always been hated for being women, for being black, for being working class, and the small brain cannot comprehend that. It will look, for some non-existent reason, to justify the hatred of the EFF,” he said.

Malema said people could not expect love from those who don’t love themselves.

“The people who matter have sent their condolences and that is enough. We can’t expect love from people who were dropped on their heads when they were born. We must not be bothered by those who are celebrating our pain because they hate themselves. We don’t need them. They can go to hell,” Malema said.

Hillary will be given a dignified funeral at the Church on the Hill in Kamagugu outside Mbombela on Saturday.

EFF and family spokesperson Sinawo Tambo said Hillary was allegedly shot “execution-style” in the back of her head.

“The bullet wound was located in the back of her head, which means she was shot almost execution-style,” said Tambo.

“Our biggest concern is that police on the scene did not pick up that Hillary had been shot. This is gross incompetence. It does not need forensics to identify a bullet wound.”

He said there was confirmation of cardless banking transactions, which amounted to R1,300, sent to herself after she was abducted.

“There was confirmation this morning that there were transactions made by Hillary at the time she was abducted. With the revelation there was a bullet found in her head, this might be a deviation that this was a common criminal act.

“One cannot shoot someone in the head for R1,300. The risk is too high. It doesn’t inspire us to believe this was a common criminal act. If you can afford a gun and ammunition, you don’t need that much money to conduct a crime. We are a family that is not stupid,” said Tambo.

Mpumalanga police defended themselves against criticism, saying that not disclosing that Hillary had been shot did not mean they were unaware of it.

"The police in Mpumalanga are at no stage going to reveal the stages of the investigation to the public but to the relevant family. It is against this backdrop that police request space to investigate this gruesome murder without any disturbance,” said Col Donald Mdhluli.

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