“I don’t want my sister’s killer to get bail. Just seeing him breaks everyone apart.”
So says the sister of Vuyiseka “Vuyi” Poni, who was killed early last month, allegedly by her husband in full view of the community.
He is appearing in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court this morning (Tuesday) where he will be applying for bail.
However, Poni’s family and friends feel he must not be granted bail as he is a threat to his family and the community as a whole.
“We are in so much pain. I will not be going to court because her husband has been threatening me. We are scared. His children are terrified. If he gets bail, there is a lot at stake. My life, the children, as well as other people in the community who saw what he did.
“He must not get bail. He must pay for what he did,” says Poni’s sister, who requested to remain unamed for fear of her safety.
Poni was allegedly stabbed 37 times.
She leaves behind three children, aged 12 and six years, and a toddler aged 14 months.
Women from different suburbs have been gathering and rallying for her murder case. They are circulating a petition and say they want justice to be done.
To show support and to comfort the family, members of the Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp Foundation (RRSF) will be joining a group of women from Westlake and other supporters
outside the court today to protest against the bail application.
Kim Martin of the RRSF says someone very close to Poni contacted the foundation for help and they see no better way to commemorate the death of model Reeva Steenkamp, who was killed by athlete Oscar Pretorius on this day four years ago. Following Steenkamp’s death the foundation has helped educate women on abuse and violence.
“We were planning to have something to commemorate Reeva but we will not be doing it. Instead we will be spending a day in court with the family and friends as well as community members of the mother who was killed in Westlake. This is just a sign that Reeva is giving to us and this will be a befitting legacy for her,” she says.
Martin says it’s a pity that the case never got any attention but as a foundation they are doing all they can to help and to show the family that they are not alone.
“It’s not easy going through such a thing. It’s tragic. We want to show the family and friends that they are not alone. We know how it is to have someone taken away from you in such a terrible way. However, our loss has been the driving force for the foundation. To find other people who go through what we went through; we are in a better position to help them because we know how it feels. By helping other people we are healing as well,” she says.
Sergeant Deidre Solomon, Kirstenhof police spokesperson, confirms that Poni’s husband was arrested for her murder and the investigation is ongoing.
