As messages of condolence streamed in for much-loved Gqeberha physiotherapist Richmond Hill, residents described how they tried in vain to save Marolien Schmidt after she was stabbed by an intruder in the early hours of Women’s Day.
In a grim statement, police noted that August 9 was meant to be a day to celebrate SA women.
Instead, Schmidt’s family, friends and patients were left heartbroken.
Police said the intruder escaped after attacking Schmidt in her Sherlock Street home.
According to SAPS spokesperson Capt Sandra Janse van Rensburg, a 29-year-old suspect was nabbed in Central, Gqeberha, in the early hours of Thursday and detained for murder.
“It’s unclear what was taken during the attack, but police are investigating a murder case,” she said.
Neighbour Mike Eddy said chaos erupted just before 2am.
“We heard screams and breaking glass from Marolien’s house. My wife and I shot out of bed and I took the key for Marolien’s garage, which we have for when she is away so we can feed the cat.
“I went down the stairs. There she was, lying on the floor of the lounge. Her pyjama top was covered in blood. She said ‘help my, help my’ [help me].”
Eddy said he immediately called an ambulance, but when the operator taking the call said it would take 15 to 30 minutes to get there, they realised they would need to act.
“We carried her up the stairs and put her gently inside my vehicle. My wife and I drove her to St George’s. Marolien had lost consciousness.
“At the hospital, we waited after they rushed her off. Eventually I asked a doctor what had happened, and he said Marolien had passed on.”
Eddy said he had seen the alleged perpetrator escape through the same side window he had presumably used to gain entry to the house.
“He must have scaled our wall because my wife saw him run up the side of our house into the street.”
He said they had known Schmidt well and she had visited them for coffee on Tuesday afternoon.
“She was a lovely, vibrant girl with lots of friends and always busy with work or training for triathlons.”
Another neighbour, who declined to be named, said she and her sister had run into the street when they heard Schmidt’s cries.
“This young guy came running from the direction of her house. I ran after him. He was maybe about 8m ahead of me, wearing a black beanie, a dark top and pants, and carrying a bag. He knew I was chasing him because he turned to look at me.
“I threw the padlock I had in my hand at him. But it missed and he ran up Mackay Street.”
She then gave up the chase to run back to Schmidt’s house where the garage door was open.
“There was blood on the floor and I followed it down the stairs to find Marolien. Mike’s wife, Terry, was with her.
“I turned Marolien on her side and used my gown to try stop the bleeding from the wound in her back. I wanted her to stay awake so I asked her what had happened. She said her attacker had entered through a downstairs side window.”
She said because the ambulance did not respond timeously, she turned Schmidt on her back and, with the help of neighbours, carried her up the stairs to Eddy’s car.
Schmidt’s mother, Sineke, also a physiotherapist, said on Wednesday she was on the way to Gqeberha from Wilderness, where she now practises.
“I must officially identify her body, it’s devastating. Someone broke in and stabbed her. It seems they hit major organs and nothing could be done to save her.
“My two sons are on their way from the UK and Stellenbosch.”
Sineke said her daughter had been born in Pearston, where she went to school before the family relocated to Graaff-Reinet.
She recently celebrated her 40th birthday. Now she is in heaven
— Sineke, Schmidt’s mother
Her father was a much-loved general practitioner in the small Karoo town.
“She recently celebrated her 40th birthday. Now she is in heaven.”
Good friend and trainer, former double world Ironman champ Michelle Enslin said Schmidt was a kind, determined woman who loved sport.
“In about 2010, she wanted to do Ironman but couldn’t swim, so she came to me for lessons. That’s how we became friends. She went on to do two Ironmans and multiple half Ironmans.”
Enslin said Schmidt treated a number of top athletes and often helped those from disadvantaged backgrounds for free.
“She was an independent, strong, beautiful woman. She didn’t deserve this.”
Psychologist and long-time family friend Carissa Smuts said she had sub-rented rooms at the Walmer Wellness centre in Main Road where Schmidt practised.
“She was a friend and colleague. I will miss her dearly.”
Friend Gabie van Wyk said she was in shock.
“I was her hairdresser and we’ve been friends for many years.”
By Wednesday afternoon, bunches of flowers had been placed outside Schmidt’s house, with plans being made for a candlelight vigil.
On the Ocean Tribe open water swimming WhatsApp group, condolence messages also poured in. A special gathering was planned for Saturday morning at Kings Beach.
Richmond Hill Community Policing Forum (CPF) chair Kevin Slattery said: “There are about 10 abandoned or neglected buildings in this neighbourhood where vagrants have moved in.
“They are the springboard for incidents like this, and we just need our metro to apply the problem building bylaw and get them sold off and fixed up.”
He said the bylaw had made a big difference to crime levels when implemented in the Western Cape. “It allows the municipality to serve owners with a notice that they must remedy the situation and, if they don’t, their buildings can be attached and sold. If they could apply that law here, it would make a big difference.”
He said the CPF was also calling on the metro to install street cameras at key points.
Anyone with information is urged to contact detective W/O Chris Kleynhans on 082-650-7564, Crime Stop on 08600-10111, or by going to their nearest police station.
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