Hillary Gardee family sues Minister Lamola R 18m in damages

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The grieving family of Hillary Gardee are now taking their fight to Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola following the death of their daughter Hillary Gardee who was brutally killed in Mpumalanga earlier this year.

They are suing the Minister R18 million in damages.

The family sent a letter of demand through their legal representative MM Mashele Attorneys addressed to Lamola accusing his department of failing to keep one the murder accused Hlabirwa Rasie Nkuna behind bars despite allegations that he had had violated his parole conditions for almost two years after he was released from prison in 2019.

The Gardee’s through their legal representative, accused the Minister [department] of acting negligently by releasing Nkuna knowing the amount of charges he was facing at the time.

Nkuna was facing 10 cases, including a spate of armed robberies, possession of a stolen motor vehicle and absconding from parole management for two years.

“The parolee was arrested for an alleged rape offence and subsequently the case was withdrawn, however, your department did not press charges for violating his parole conditions for such a long time and as such equivalent to escape from lawful custody.”

“If the parolee had been charged for abscondment and violation of his paroled conditions when he was later arrested and released for an unrelated charge, he would have been released sometimes in 2023, and the late Hillary Gardee would not have been his victim, causing the Gardee family so much grief,” said the Gardee’s.

Nkuna has also been linked to the killings of three other women, including one from Midrand, Johannesburg, whom he met on Facebook. The killing happened in August.

He has also been accused of killing his girlfriend Pretty Mazibuko and her cop sister Marcia in Kanyamazane, Mbombela, on May 15 just 12 days after Gardee’s body was found.

The family has demanded an apology from the Minister and general damages which includes pain and suffering, trauma and special damages such as funeral costs, tombstone and incidental events, as a result of the brutal murder of their beloved daughter in the amount of R2m each for nine family members.

The department is yet to respond to the letter.