While it remained unclear who could have been behind the murder of former EFF secretary-general Godrich Gardee’s daughter, Hillary, the 28-year-old had earlier this year shared her strong feelings about men and their treatment of women.
On January 18, she tweeted: “When we say men want us dead, it’s not a joke.”
She was commenting on a post in which a woman had reached out for assistance, saying she needed help when finding herself in a dark place following a failed relationship.
On Tuesday, police said the hunt for Hillary’s killer was under way after she was found murdered on Tuesday morning.
When we say men want us dead, it's not a joke🤞🏽 pic.twitter.com/ipmTn6VC8g
— Big_Girls_Don't_Cry (@HillaryGardee) January 18, 2022
Born Hillary Indira Gardee in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1994, she was the eldest daughter of Gardee.
The EFF described her as an enthusiastic, kind and loving individual with a passion for information technology. She was a student at the University of SA, studying IT part-time while running her own IT business.
On the day she disappeared Hillary said on social media that May was going to be a very long month.
Tweeting under the handle @HillaryGardee, she wrote: “April was long, but May is gonna be longer with one day, and salary ye (sic) this month must last us till end of next month.”
Later that day she disappeared after last being seen grocery shopping at the Super Spar in Mbombela with her adopted three-year-old child. While the little girl was found safe and unharmed later that night, Hillary remained missing for four days.
Her body was discovered on Tuesday and identified by her family. The time of her death has not been made known.
On Tuesday morning a group of people heading out to work after the long weekend came across her body, dumped about 60km away from where she went missing.
News of her murder went out quickly as the EFF — speaking on behalf of her devastated family — announced she had been found.
Mpumalanga police spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli said police were called out to the scene where her body was found. The body was taken to the mortuary.
“She has now been identified by her family as Hillary Gardee. She was still wearing the same clothes she was in when she went missing. There were some wounds on her head and police are now investigating a murder case,” Mdhluli said.
The violent murder sent shock waves across SA. The EFF and ANC issued public condolence messages, and police minister Bheki Cele took a helicopter trip to Mpumalanga to visit the distraught Gardee family.
Police spokesperson Lirandzu Themba said police management and Cele had received a report from the investigating team at the crime scene in the Ehlanzeni district of Sabie, just outside Mbombela.
There were some wounds on her head and police are now investigating a murder case.
— Col Donald Mdhluli, police spokesperson
“The painful circumstances of her death paints a disturbing picture of violence which is deeply embedded in our communities, especially against women and children. The ANC will continue to rally society against acts of gender-based violence whenever they occur,” the party wrote.
“We mourn with the Gardee family and will provide a helping hand to ensure (Hillary’s) memory is preserved and she goes to her final resting place with dignity.
“The family at this time is still reeling from the terrible news of the loss of their child and as such are not in a position to speak to the media or the public.
“We appreciate all the efforts of those in the public sphere, who formed part of the efforts to find Hillary Gardee. We thank the people of SA for banding together behind a selfless activist, and we thank all members of the EFF for rallying behind our former secretary-general and commissar who has dedicated his life to the liberation of our people,” the EFF wrote.
The office of chief whip Pemmy Majodina said parliamentary caucus had learnt of the death with deep shock and sadness.
“Losing a child is the most heartbreaking tragedy a parent can ever go through and leaves a void that can never be filled ... To the three-year-old who will be left without her mother, the pain is unbearable to contemplate,” Mojadina said.
The EFF added: “Her kindness and generosity was most evident in her commitment to adopt and care for a three-year old child, who by the grace of God was spared on the day of Hillary’s abduction. She looked after the child as if she were her own, an inspiring act for a woman of such a young age.
“May this chapter, which has ended in such an unfortunate manner, be instructive to all of us on the scourge of gender-based violence and the need to fight against the war on the women of this country.”
Friends, politicians and people from all over the country sent wishes and condolences.
“Anyone with information that may assist police in the investigation — maybe people who know who the killer is — can call the Crime Stop number at 08600 10111. Alternatively, members of the public can send information via MYSAPSAPP. All information will be treated as confidential and callers may opt to remain anonymous,” Mdhluli said.
