Body of Godrich Gardee’s daughter found outside Mbombela, EFF confirms

The body of former Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) secretary-general Godrich Gardee’s daughter has been found after she went missing.

The EFF confirmed on Tuesday the retrieval of Hillary Indira Gardee’s body, which was found outside Mbombela, in Mpumalanga.

“This heart-breaking news has left the Gardee family distraught, and the collective leadership of the EFF are at a loss for words,” the Red Berets said in a statement.

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“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.

“The family at this time is still reeling from the terrible news of the loss of their child, and as such is not in a position to speak to the media or the public,” the party added.

The 28-year-old was last seen on Friday at Spar Supermarket in Mbombela, previously known as Nelspruit, wearing a black top and black trousers.

According to the South African Police Service (Saps), Hillary was with a three-year-old girl, whom she adopted, when she disappeared.

However, the 28-year-old was nowhere to be found.

Hillary was born in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1994 and was a student at the University of South Africa (Unisa), studying IT part-time, while running her own IT business, according to the EFF.

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“She was the first-born 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.

“Hillary was an enthusiastic, kind and loving individual, who had a passion for information technology,” the party said.

“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,” the EFF added.

The Red Berets said her death was a stark reminder of gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa and highlighted the need to fight against “the war on women” in the country.