The daughter of the attacked couple walks away from the Sophiatown house while being consoled
-- Murder in Sophiatown
Johannesburg - Residents of Annadale Street in Sophiatown were shocked and angry after an elderly couple were attacked in their home, with the husband being stabbed to death in his bed early Wednesday morning.
The man and woman, Gieppie and Ailene Britz, were choked, and Gieppie was stabbed to death after two men gained entry into their backyard cottage through a slightly open window, said police spokesman Warrant Officer Thomas de Bruyn.
“They forced the window open and got into the cottage. They stabbed the old man twice and choked him. They choked the woman as well, but she was okay,” De Bruyn said.
The robbers stole jewellery, a TV and a DVD player, he said.
“The elderly man died on the scene and the woman was taken to hospital for treatment,” De Bruyn said.
The attack comes just hours after Police Minister Nathi Nhleko released crime statistics that paint a grim picture for Gauteng.
Residents described Wednesday morning’s attack as “senseless and unnecessary”.
“Why do people do this? They have no conscience,” said one resident who did not want to be named.
Another resident, who also wanted to remain anonymous, said: “This was all just too much. It’s mad. I worry that justice will not be served. They can’t get away with this.”
De Bruyn said a case of murder and house robbery had been opened while the chairman of the neighbourhood watch, Dauw Steyn, said this was the third incident in the area this month.
“At the beginning of this month, an elderly couple were robbed in their home but they were unharmed.
“About two weeks ago, a man was stabbed to death in the street,” Steyn said.
He said crime in the area had dropped since the neighbourhood watch had been established, but it could not stop all criminal activity.
“We do what we can and, in many cases, we’re called to the scene and have been very successful, but it’s important for the police to play their part too,” Steyn said.
http://beta.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/murdered-in-his-bed-1923188
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