The City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) confirmed that internal disciplinary action will be taken against an employee who is accused number one of the murder of 28-year-old Hillary Gardee.
Metro spokesperson Zweli Dlamini confirmed that the man is employed by the CoE in the Department of Strategy and Corporate Planning.
“The normal internal disciplinary process will be set in motion in the matter against the employee. We, however, cannot at this stage comment on the criminal case against him. We will allow the criminal justice process to take its course and see what the outcome is,” said Dlamini.
Gardee, the daughter of former EFF secretary-general Godrich Gardee, was recently reportedly kidnapped while shopping in Mbombela with her adopted three-year-old child. The child was later found unharmed, but Gardee’s body was discovered in a veld outside Nelspruit.
She had suffered a gunshot wound to her head and was laid to rest in Rocky Drift on May 7.
The metro employee is one of three men arrested in connection with the case for kidnapping, rape and murder.
Initially, all three suspects had reportedly abandoned their bail bids but the metro employee requested bail.
The National Prosecuting Authority’s Monica Nyuswa said: “The bail application in respect of this suspect, who is accused number one in Gardee’s murder case, was remanded to June 2 in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court. This after he was requisitioned for Tuesday’s date.”
The case against all three suspects was postponed to next month for further investigation.
The EFF in Ekurhuleni has called for the immediate release of the metro employee from his City of Ekurhuleni duties, saying his dismissal will send a strong message to others about violence against women.
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