‘The pain cuts so deep’: Gardee opens up about Christmas planning without Hillary for the first time

Former EFF secretary-general Godrich Gardee has shared how sad planning for Christmas has been this year as it will be the first without his daughter Hillary.

Gardee took to social media to grieve and share how it dawned on him that he will spend the day without his daughter.

The body of 28-year-old Hillary was found near Mbombela, Mpumalanga, after she was reported missing.

“The hurt gets worse as the reality of the traditional Christmas family gathering without you for the first time dawns. All is well, all shall be well.

“RIP Hillary Gardee, posthumous Merry Christmas and a Happy New in your soul. We get tried for a reason. This too shall pass,” said Gardee. 

He expressed he was in “pain” but reassured his followers he was fine.

“The pain cuts so deep, and others decided to make it worse. This too shall pass. I am fine. We are fine,” he said. 

In May the country woke up to the shocking news of Hillary’s death. She was found murdered with visible wounds to her head.

Her body was found next to a pine plantation 40km outside Mbombela on May 2. She was kidnapped in the town on April 29 while travelling home with her adopted three-year-old daughter.

Sipho Lawrence Mkhatshwa, 39, Philemon Lukhele, 47, and Mduzuzi Gama, 52, are charged with murder, rape, conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping, defeating the ends of justice and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

Sunday Times reported the defence team for two of the accused plans to poke holes in the state’s case.

A tracking report for the vehicle the state said was used to transport Gardee’s body from the guest house where she was allegedly held captive, possibly raped and murdered, could paint a different picture.

The report, seen by Sunday Times, does not place the vehicle anywhere near the scene where Gardee’s body was found five days after she was reported missing.