We can’t forgive you, family tells killer daughter

The family of a Pretoria couple whose murders were arranged by their daughter have still not come to terms with the brutality of the murders and find it impossible to forgive her.

A letter by the siblings of the murdered Piet Beetge, 59, was yesterday handed in as evidence in the trial of his wife Evah’s daughter, Gwendolene Lekalakala, 21, who pleaded guilty to murder.

Lekalakala admitted that she had, in December 2015, conspired with her boyfriend, Tapelo Molokomme, 25, and his friend, Kgangelo Rapelogo, 25, to murder her mother and stepfather at their Capital Park home.

She also admitted robbing them of a laptop, digital camera, cellphones, R500 and their car. Lekalakala said in a statement her boyfriend had first suggested that they kill her parents and she eventually agreed after an argument she had with her mother on Christmas Day.

She first tried to poison her parents with ant poison but when that did not work, she let her boyfriend and his friend into the house. Her mother and stepfather were strangled and her father was hit with a brick in the face where he lay sleeping in his bed. The bodies were then dumped.

Molokomme and Rapelogo will go on trial separately next week. In a letter, Beetge’s family described their anguish about the senseless murder of a good, loving man who had integrity and a deep love for his wife.

“How do we forgive a person who had the intention of killing her own mother and stepfather? Do you ever think about their last thoughts as they saw you? Do you know that we grieve daily?

“Our beloved brother was murdered because he was not willing or financially in a position to support you and your son,” the letter said. Lekalakala will be sentenced later this week.