EFF mourns loss of Hillary Gardee

The EFF reacted with sorrow and heartbreak following the news of Hillary Gardee’s (28) alleged murder.

The daughter of the former EFF secretary general, Godrich Gardee, was last seen on Friday April 29 in Mbombela with the three-year-old child she had adopted.

The child was found unharmed in KaMagugu on April 29 at 20:30, but Hillary was nowhere to be seen.

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Hillary’s body was found on Tuesday morning, May 3, in some bushes about 150 metres from the Sabie/Lydenburg Road.

A provincial police spokesperson, Col Donald Mdhluli, said Hillary was found with wounds to her head and appeared to be wearing the same clothing she had been wearing when she went missing last Friday.

A statement by the national EFF’s spokesperson, Sinawo Thambo, said the organisation was devastated to hear the news.

“Hillary Indira Gardee was born in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1994. She was the firstborn daughter of Commissar Godrich Gardee, and her loss has left immeasurable devastation as he grapples with the pain of losing a child in such a callous, cruel and inhumane manner,” said Thambo.

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“Hillary was an enthusiastic, kind and loving individual, who had a passion for information technology. She was a student at the University of South Africa, studying IT part-time while running her own IT business.”

Thambo went on to say that Hillary’s 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.

“We send our deepest condolences and sympathies to Commissar Gardee, the Gardee family and those who were close to Hillary.

“We mourn with the Gardee family, and will provide a helping hand to ensure that her memory is preserved and she goes to her final resting place with dignity,” he said.

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Thambo also said that the family is still reeling from the news of the loss of their child, and is 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 South Africa 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.”