Cape Town - As Women’s Month begins today, Hanover Park residents are grieving the murder of a mother whose life was taken in a domestic dispute.
Chantel Pasquelle, 40, was admitted to hospital in June after she was stabbed and assaulted, allegedly by her husband.
She died on Sunday, with police saying an arrest was imminent.
A community activist said on the day of the assault, police were alerted to the incident.
“They went to the house and they didn’t even go inside for a wellness check. They could hear the woman screaming for help inside but they did nothing.
“The police, who are supposed to help people, decided to get into their cars and left the woman in distress and left her.
“The husband had allegedly called the family and told them that he would kill her and that is when they went to the home with the police.
“She had a head injury and was in a coma for all those weeks leading to her demise. The community is really shocked and angry about what happened,” said the person, who asked not be named for safety concerns.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk confirmed Philippi detectives were investigating a case of murder.
“According to reports, she sustained stab wounds and bruises to her body and was taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
“On Sunday July 28, she died in hospital due to injuries sustained.
“The attempted murder case was then changed to a murder case. The investigation is ongoing and an arrest is imminent,” Van Wyk said.
He did not respond to allegations made against the SAPS.
Philisa Abafazi Bethu Women Centre founder, Lucinda Evans, has contacted Police Minister Senzo Mchunu about the case.
“Why did they drive away even though they heard someone screaming for help? The standard operations procedure act for the police says that in the event that they witness or someone tells them, they must act.
“When is the minister of police coming to us? I want to sit him down and ask how many operational GBV desks are at the police stations? When is he going to ensure that his members are properly trained and oriented when it comes to GBV? And what is going to happen to police officers like this who were able to do something when it was reported? What are the repercussions for that? I want him to contact me, I want a one-on-one with him and General Thembisile Patekile and MEC Anroux Marais.
“This murder could have been prevented. I want to go to the Philippi Police Training College and hear how much knowledge they have about GBV, I believe that is where they should be taught,” said Evans.
Meanwhile the family of pregnant mom Roslin Martins, who was allegedly killed by her husband, said they were still traumatised.
The 36-year-old mom was found with multiple stab wounds, covered on the floor.
Her husband was subsequently arrested and appeared in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court last Monday, where the case was postponed to October 2 for post-mortem results.
Yesterday, Ilitha Labantu, in partnership with the Manenberg SAPS and law enforcement, together with the Heideveld community hosted the #Uthuleleni (Why are you quiet?) antiGBVF motorcade to raise awareness about violence against women.
Martins’s sister, Aisha Samuels, said: “We need all the support we can get, because we don’t want the accused to be released from jail.”
Cape Argus