Heart Expert's Wife Murdered

[Lycanthrope]

Cape Town - The wife of a member of the team that carried out the world's first heart transplant was murdered in the early hours of Sunday morning in Hermanus.

The body of Lulu Hewitson, 84, was found in the foyer of her house at about 04:00. She had a stab wound to her back.

Her husband, Professor Rodney Hewitson, survived the attack as he was in another part of the house, said police spokesperson Superintendent André Traut. He was badly traumatised.

The elderly woman was murdered after she presumably pressed the panic button.

The suspects are believed to have gained entrance to the house through a living room window, which they took out. They fled the same way.

'Awful and ironic'

The murdered woman's husband was Professor Chris Barnard's right-hand man during the first heart transplant at Groote Schuur Hospital in 1967.

"That he lost his wife in this way is awful and ironic," said Professor Johan Brink of the Chris Barnard Memorial Hospital's Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery.

"As a doctor, he had dedicated himself to the less fortunate. Over the years he helped hundreds of people who had been stabbed in the chest. He was an extremely committed doctor and a mentor for heart surgery all over the world."

One of the couple's sons, Dr John Hewitson, followed in his father's footsteps as a heart surgeon while another, Professor Bruce Hewitson of the University of Cape Town, is an internationally recognised climate expert. A third son is a pilot in Mozambique.

According to Traut, the motive was presumably housebreaking with the intention to steal possessions, though nothing valuable was missing.

No one has been arrested and the murder weapon is still missing.

Source: News24

And so another person dies for nothing...

 

[blunomore]

Very sad.

 

[Kim_Webchick]

That is so sad, but then again its the country that we live in

 

[Skinner]

The part of Hermanus where this happened (Westcliff), is the most western part of the town and also one of the most oldest parts. It is the closest to the informal settlements located to the west of the town (Zwelilhe) and others around the flying field. Most houses are old and have little defenses like high walls. The yards are relatively open, often with no walls seperating adjacent erven. Access routes like the coastal road and the main road lead straight through this part. Also important is to note that while the police station is situated relative in the middle of the part, all areas to the west of the police station will result in the fact that criminals would be able to commit crime in there and head back to the informal settlements without having to pass the police station which is located on an access road (the main road).

The vehicle that was stolen was located in Zwelilhe, proving that the criminals came from these informal settlements.

If all of the above factors were considered, the chances of being attacked could have been minimised. The victims should have lived in a different part of Hermanus, to the east of the police station (e.g. areas like Voelklip), with a house that was better protected by higher walls all around.

Hermanus is one of those towns in the Western Cape where many houses still have open front lawns and children play on the street (unlike Gauteng) - and these are not even in security complexes. However, proximity to and access from informal settlements should always be kept in mind. In my opinion, this, and the nature of the security of the typical houses in Westcliff, contributed to increasing the chances of this couple being hit. Knowledge like the above, either self-obtained or from friends / contacts, and acting on it, will decrease your chances.

 

[zeb]

Imagine if this happened in Europe or the US. There would be a massive manhunt on the way.
In SA it's just another day, another death.

 

[Crabby]

The victims should have lived in a different part of Hermanus, to the east of the police station (e.g. areas like Voelklip), with a house that was better protected by higher walls all around.

Your answer to every senseless murder in South Africa is that it wouldn't have happened if they had lived in a different city/town/suburb/section/street. Bollocks. I have never heard anything quite so rediculous.

I'm trying to figure out if you are simply a complete retard or incredibly moronic and I'm ashamed that I have to use the same oxygen as you and the savages that perpetrate these senseless killings. How the hell you can even type is beyond me.

/ignored

 

[Devill]

And the worste thing about this is that for every "news-worthy" person killed, 100's that never make the papers, die

 

[Skinner]

Your answer to every senseless murder in South Africa is that it wouldn't have happened if they had lived in a different city/town/suburb/section/street. Bollocks. I have never heard anything quite so rediculous.

False.

Show me where I answer to every senseless murder in SA.

I answered just to this particular case and a couple others.

 

[Frankie]

Very sad indeed, and so unfortunate that nothing is being done to bring an end to the rampant crime.
Not much hope with the old lead twatt denying theres a crime problem, and the new lead twatt raping the justice system.

It's also sad that the resident troll sees fit to defecate in this thread.

 

[Turiko]

Hermanus is not far from Cape Town, I've done it in an hour. And then we have people saying how "safe" the Cape is. I think not.

 

[scatlett]

Skinner enjoys the honour of now being the first person I have ever placed on my ignore list.

 

[Skinner]

Hermanus is not far from Cape Town, I've done it in an hour. And then we have people saying how "safe" the Cape is. I think not.

Safe is a grey and relative term.

Cape Town is safer than Gauteng. Then, there are areas inside or around Cape Town (or the Cape) which are safer than other areas inside or around Cape Town (or the Cape). The degree of "safeness" is subjective.

 

[anonymous_11]

"If all of the above factors were considered, the chances of being attacked could have been minimised. The victims should have lived in a different part of Hermanus, to the east of the police station (e.g. areas like Voelklip), with a house that was better protected by higher walls all around."


As a close relative to lulu, and you being something who knows nothing about her, her husband or her family i find it quite hilarious that you think you have any right to dictate what they should have done to prevent this. As if its their fault this tragedy occurred???
Why should an old couple have to move away from the place that has been their home for many many years, to somewhere that you deem would be less of a risk?
How dare you belittle the tragedy and try and rationalize something so disturbing as an old women being murdered?

 

[Pitbull]

"If all of the above factors were considered, the chances of being attacked could have been minimised. The victims should have lived in a different part of Hermanus, to the east of the police station (e.g. areas like Voelklip), with a house that was better protected by higher walls all around."


As a close relative to lulu, and you being something who knows nothing about her, her husband or her family i find it quite hilarious that you think you have any right to dictate what they should have done to prevent this. As if its their fault this tragedy occurred???
Why should an old couple have to move away from the place that has been their home for many many years, to somewhere that you deem would be less of a risk?
How dare you belittle the tragedy and try and rationalize something so disturbing as an old women being murdered?

Sorry but



WTF ?

 

[bwana]

Skinner doesnt live here anymore and as such this old tread should (and will be) closed.