The family of slain Wallacedene teenager Traceleen Boois’s have appealed for help to bury her.
The 18-year-old’s body was found in an unfinished double-storey building in Luphuwana Street, on Sunday December 3. Her throat had been slit and she had been stabbed. There was, according to the police, also evidence of rape.
The police arrested three Wallacedene men within hours of Traceleen’s body being discovered. They are appearing in the Blue Down’s Magistrate’s Court today, Wednesday December 13.
Traceleen’s cousin, Daefdene Links, 28, said the teenager’s friends had told the family that they had been drinking with her at a shebeen in Lahey Street on Saturday night December 2.
“After that shebeen closed at 10 in the evening, they moved to another shebeen in the same area together, and they didn’t know what happened after that.”
Traceleen was found dead the next morning.
Ms Links said the family hoped to bury Traceleen at Graafwater on Sunday December 17, but they were struggling financially – Traceleen’s mother, Delicia is unemployed and her stepfather, David Bangiso, relies on odd jobs.
Traceleen’s distraught mother said her daughter’s killers must answer for their crime.
“I don’t hate them but they must pay for what they did. Maybe one day I’ll forgive them,” said Ms Boois.
She described Traceleen as a lovable child with a big heart and a lot of ambition.
She is still haunted by the morning when she heard of her daughter’s death.
“I didn’t see her body on Sunday, only my husband and other family members, including community members, went to see the body. I heard people coming screaming. All along I was in denial because her friend told us that she was sleeping over with her friend. I fainted on the spot,” she said.
She went to see Traceleen’s body in the mortuary on the Monday.
“She was raped and her throat was cut. I don’t know what my daughter did to deserve to die like that. I know one of the suspects, but I didn’t know that he was so dangerous like that. And all three suspects are staying in the same street.”
Ms Boois said Traceleen had grown up in Graafwater and she had been planning to visit her father there on Sunday December 17, now the day planned for her funeral.
Provincial police spokesman Captain FC Van Wyk said the suspects had been due to appear in court again today, Wednesday December 13 on rape and murder charges.
* Anyone wanting to help the family, can call Delicia Boois at 073 228 4541