EVEN in a country hardened to crime, this one stands out. A young mother disappears after telling her mom she’s waiting for an Uber to fetch her from a Johannesburg shopping mall.
A search ensues but there’s no trace of her – until nine days later when a man and his son go fishing along the banks of the Vaal River.
The boy spots something in the water that looks like a body part. That’s exactly what it is – and soon more and more parts of the body are found in the water.
It doesn’t take the police long to identify the victim, thanks to a tattoo the woman had on her forearm: Wietzue 11.09.2019 – the date of her wedding.
Her husband, Wietzue Botes, has a tat too on his wrist too: Yolandi 11.09.2019, inked in the same curly cursive on his forearm.
The woman is Yolandi Botes (35) and in the days following the gruesome discovery, the story behind her murder gets more and more disturbing.
A room in a guesthouse in Kempton Park is found drenched in blood. There are puddles on the floor, smears on the walls. The basin in the bathroom is filled with it and a white chair in the shower is covered with it. Police find a bloodied knife under a mattress.
For Yolandi’s family, it’s excruciating. They want to know what happened and are raising funds to hire a private investigator to get to the bottom of it.
DNA tests are needed to see if the blood in the room belonged to Yolandi – but there is such a backlog in DNA testing that it could be weeks or even months before the results are known.
Differing stories about the kind of life Yolandi led have also bubbled to the sur face. To her mother, Ria van Deventer, she was a devoted daughter.
This story is from the 3 June 2021 edition of YOU South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the 3 June 2021 edition of YOU South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL!
Kourtney Kardashian and other celebs are honouring the glory of new moms' postpartum bodies
LEON'S ORDEAL IS NO JOKE
Pain has dominated entertainer Leon Schuster's life after a serious back injury landed him in bed. But despite being depressed he remains hopeful he will recover so he can get back to work
'BREAK THE SILENCE'
That's the message of the Scottish comedian who turned his experience of stalking and sexual abuse into a hit Netflix show
A PLACE OF HOPE AND HEALING
Damaged people and abused dogs find a safe haven and a chance to start again at this farm in the Cape Winelands
FROM SPERM DONOR TO DAD OF 37
Peter Ellenstein's life took an unexpected turn when a message from a daughter he never knew he had led to him meeting dozens of his children and exploring what it means to be a father without ever having raised them
GRATEFUL FOR EVERY BREATH
A double lung transplant has given this chef a second chance at life - and he'll never forget the young man who made it possible
THE GAMES ARE GO!
Preparations are well under way in the City of Lights for the world's greatest sporting spectacle
MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT
We break down what the new rules are and what to expect for the seventh national elections later this month
TOM'S A TOP GIFTER
He's known to go ALL OUT for his movies and stunts, so it's no surprise TOM CRUISE also PULLS OUT ALL THE STOPS for his friends when it comes to GIFTS
TAMING THE BEAST
Recognising and managing your anger can make for a happier and healthier you