Attorney and former EFF secretary-general Godrich Gardee laid “a candle of peace” and flowers outside the Insika Guest House allegedly linked to the kidnapping and murder of his daughter Hillary Gardee. 

“Today we mark the end of 10 days. We laid a wreath and lit a candle at the Guest House of Horror. They shot her at the back of the head here and in return, we came to give them flowers and a candle of peace,” he tweeted on Sunday. 

The guest house served as student accommodation but tenants evacuated it after Hillary’s death.

It is about 1km from Gardee’s house and 500m from his brother’s house.

The property is owned by 47-year-old Philemon Lukhele, who is one of the three suspects arrested in connection with the murder of the 28-year-old IT graduate.

Isaac Mahlangu and Lucky George told the Sunday Times Lukhele was at his favourite pub in Mbombela on the day Hillary was killed. 

Mahlangu is Lukhele’s long time friend and CEO of the Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency and George is the owner of the pub.

Mahlangu told the paper there was nothing different about Lukhele on the day they met at the pub, saying when he arrived his friend had ordered Corona beers and was watching a YouTube video on his phone.

Mahlangu left after 15 minutes and assumed Lukhele left around the same time.

George said he saw Mahlangu and Lukhele at the pub briefly before they both left. 

Gardee has continued to plead for tip-offs via social media. 

“Every day, hour and minute, I look forward to a text, DM or phone call for a tip. All days since, I wake up to pursue the remaining suspects,” he tweeted on Thursday. 

Hillary was found murdered on May 3, four days after she had gone missing. 

She had left home in Kwamagugu in Mbombela to go shopping on April 29.

Her three-year-old adopted child was found about a kilometre from their home. She told strangers who found her at about 8pm that her mother had been “fighting”.  

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