(Stefanie) Hijack victim’s relatives kept in the dark Gideon Van Zyl’s relatives say that authorities have failed to update them on the case. Mariclair Smit | 14 August 2014 11:00 RELATIVES of Gideon van Zyl, a Hillcrest resident who was shot and killed during a hijacking in Pinetown recently, say they have received no updates from authorities since the incident occurred. Julie Graham, Van Zyl’s partner who witnessed the murder, said that the police had left them in the dark. “We haven’t received one phone call from the police nor received any information from them regarding the case. If they do not have any leads the least they could do is tell us. “It might not be something that we would want to hear or know, but we need to be informed. We need closure,” she said. A frustrated Graham said a neighbourhood watch’s Facebook page, instead of the SAPS, had alerted them to the recovery of her partner’s stolen vehicle. “It makes me angry, because it seems like they are not interested in the case. He was shot dead. You would think that the police would be more compassionate towards the people who have been left behind,” she said. She is still struggling to cope after the incident, and even becomes anxious when street vendors approach her vehicle. “It will take a while for everyone to settle down. It still feels unreal and we are all still incredibly heartbroken, but Gideon’s sons are trying to stay strong,” she said. The family and friends of Van Zyl gathered to pay their final respects as the 53-year-old was laid to rest yesterday. “It was horrible to say goodbye, although I don’t think that I will ever truly say goodbye in my heart,” said Graham. On Sunday, 3 August, Graham watched helplessly as Van Zyl was shot in the back during a hijacking on Victory Road in Pinetown. The two hijackers fled in his vehicle, which was recovered in Wyebank the next day. Lt. Col. Leon Matthysen, the acting station commander for the Pinetown SAPS, said that he could not officially comment on the matter as the case’s investigating officers are not Pinetown SAPS officers. “Members of the Pinetown cluster task team have been assigned to the case, so it is difficult to monitor. I can, however, assure the family and the community that they are working on the case, and that the investigation is in good hands. “They are the same task team responsible for arresting a known gang in Pinetown,”said Matthysen.
Posted on: Thu, 14 Aug 2014 18:00:47 +0000