George three buried side by side

Tag : children's suits



The poverty stricken town came to a standstill on Saturday asmourners paid their last respects to the murdered children.

The six-hour funeral proceedings, paid for by the Georgemunicipality, started at the children's homes in mid-morning. Itthen moved to the Rosemore civic centre, the cemetery and then backto the civic centre for afternoon tea.

While scores of children played outside, mourners poured into thesmall homes, viewing the children in their tiny marble-platedcaskets.

The Koetaan and Geduld families, who are related, live together,just a few metres from the Pienaar home.

The three young mothers put on a united front in the face of theirgrief, all clad in matching charcoal suits and orange shirts.

During the service, family and friends battled to control theirtears as they spoke about the children, whom they knew as Koekie(Hendolene), Rickie (Adnill) and Bongi (Jamaine).

One speaker, Mieta Olivier, who runs a local soup kitchen, saidthey were "always together" as they lined up for cups of hot soup.

"Hendolene would never push in front of anyone with her little cup.They were all so special, they really pulled my heart strings. If Ihad known what was coming the last time I saw them&" said Olivier,her voice cracking with emotion.

ID leader Patricia de Lille, George mayor Flip de Swart, andcommunity police forum chairman Sylvestor Africa were speakers atthe service at the Rosemore civic centre, which was packed.

Lit by candles and decorated with flowers and ribbons, Hendoline'spink and the boys' blue, the small coffins stood at the front ofthe hall.

Many speakers described how the loss of the three children had hiteveryone hard.

Police spokesperson Captain Malcolm Potjie said the discovery ofthe lifeless bodies had a hit a nerve. "At the scene, you sawhardened police officers, their tears flowing freely. Now we willdo everything in the parameters of the law to make sure the peoplewho hurt our community like this are behind bars."

But there also were appeals at the funeral for the families andcommunity to forgive the teen, should he be convicted. Among themany donations sent to the family ahead of the funeral was one fromthe boy's own family.

At the graveside, Pastor John Ambraac said forgiveness would helpthe families' own healing process.

The graveside service came to an abrupt end when it startedraining, heavy winds pulling at the two erected marquees as thecoffins were being lowered.

Flowers and sand were hastily thrown into the three small gravesand the congregation fled.

After the service, family said they would depend on the support ofthe community to get through the next few weeks.

Anna Chembe, an aunt of Hendolene and Jamaine, said they felt adeep sense of loss.

Chembe used to prepare a breakfast of pap for the three playmateseach morning.

"They were just lovely, sweet children. You would never see themapart. If the other children maybe wanted to fight with Hendolene,they were quick to defend her."

She remembers an incident which took place the day theydisappeared.

"There was a man parking in my yard and when I looked again, theyhad rubbed mud all over the car. I scolded them and ask whathappened. They just had this guilty look, but didn't say a word."

Adnill's grandparents, Rose Pienaar and Lionel Joseph, describedhim as a "busy little man".

"He loved to play and watch his favourite TV programme, TakalaniSesame. He was an active little one," said Rose.

And, listening to resident Kathleen Blou, it seems Bossiesgif willstill be reeling from shock for a while to come.

"I feel so sorry for the families. These children ate together,played together. They say God has a plan with everything, but forthree small children to be ripped from us in such a horrible way isheartbreaking."

The 16-year-old shepherd, whom the children often followed when hewent to collect his stock at dusk, appeared in the Georgemagistrate's court earlier this week and was referred forpsychological observation at Valkenberg Hospital.


This article was originally published on page 3 of Cape Argus on June 29, 2008