Fear pushed Fiona Coyne over the edge
2010-08-19 22:34
Jana Breytenbach, Die Burger
Cape Town – Fear of failure and loneliness were apparently the two main reasons behind Fiona Coyne’s suicide.
This became clear in two suicide notes found in her home in Fish Hoek on Wednesday.
A well-known actress and TV presenter, 45-year-old Coyne’s body was discovered in her bedroom at her house in Fish Hoek on Wednesday at about 08:40.
Two letters, addressed respectively to her mother, Dolly Coyne, and her housekeeper, Zoleka Shumani, were found in the house. Shumani had worked for Coyne for the past six years.
Die Burger was told by a reliable source on Thursday that Coyne made arrangements before her death and made it clear what should happen to her belongings.
Shumani, 36, found the first letter with her name on it on the kitchen table.
“The letter started by saying she is very sorry and that I should phone the police immediately. She even wrote down the number for me,” Shumani told Die Burger on Thursday.
Coyne also said in the letter Shumani could have anything she wanted from the house, even her jewellery.
“I didn’t realise what was going on but I phoned the police immediately.”
The police soon arrived at the house and found Coyne’s body in her bed.
'Talented and versatile'
The second letter, addressed to her mother, was found in the bedroom.
Die Burger was told that this letter said her intention was not to punish anyone, but that she had weighed the positive and negative aspects of her life and made her decision based on this.
She supposedly stated that her biggest worry was fear – fear of failure and fear of growing old alone, amongst others.
Apparently she also made arrangements to sell the house and instructions for how this money should be split.
According to someone close to Coyne, one of her last wishes was that her ex-husband, Willie Fritz, should take care of her two dogs, Malaika and Tamu.
Kee-Leen Irvine, family spokesperson, said the results of the post-mortem will be released on Friday.
“No funeral arrangements have been made yet. We’ll probably finalise that on Friday,” she said.
According to police spokesperson Stephen Knapp, the post-mortem has not been completed yet.
Meanwhile Lulu Xingwana, minister of arts and culture, has reacted to Coyne’s death.
“We are all deeply shocked about the death of Fiona Coyne. South Africa has lost a talented and versatile person.”
Xingwana expressed her empathy with Coyne’s family.
“May her legacy live on.”