“She was a happy, loving, caring person and enjoyed interacting with people.”
These are the words of a heartbroken Wendy Liebenberg, after the brutal murder of her grandmother, Marie Sadler (72).
Sadler was attacked and killed in the family’s Delville home, last Thursday, while Wendy and her husband, Jaco, were at work.
The Germiston SAPS are currently investigating the case, but so far no arrests have been made.
Sadler, along with the Liebenbergs, relocated to Delville two years ago after having lived in Carltonville for most of their lives.
“My gran was a big part of the Carltonville community,” Wendy said.
“She worked at Woolworths and everyone knew and loved her.”
Sadler’s husband, George, passed away many years ago and the couple have two daughters, Sharon Smith and Colleen De Jesus.
Wendy, Sharon’s daughter, told the GCN that she had grown up with her grandmother since she was a little girl of three years old.
“She enjoyed gardening, listening to music, reading and doing crosswords,” Wendy said.
“She also loved interacting with people and talking to them.”
When the couple left for work on Thursday morning it was just like any other, ordinary work day.
However, when Jaco returned home at about 3pm he was greeted by a sight no one should ever have to see.
He found his grandmother-in-law had been mutilated and murdered.
The murderer had stabbed Sadler in the stomach and neck and cut off her ears and nose.
It appears that he had also tried to remove her eyebrows.
The police were immediately called to the scene and Capt George Raphulu, head of communications for the Germiston SAPS, said: “We suspect the perpetrator of the crime was the family’s worker, who came to do the garden and clean the house.
“The police have not been able to trace the man.”
Raphulu added that the motive for the murder is unknown as yet.
Wendy said the police are keeping the family informed of all developments in the case.
“Jaco and I thank the Germiston CPF, who had members stay with us until midnight on the day it happened,” she added.
“The support was invaluable.
“We also thank the community for assisting us with the memorial arrangements for my grandmother.”
A memorial service for Sadler was held on Thursday, at the Baptist Church in Germiston.
“We are grieving her death and trying our best to carry on,” a grief-stricken Wendy said.
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