‘I cried uncontrollably when I saw it was her’: Stellenbosch man after his wife dies in gang-related crossfire

The family of Harlene Meyer, sister of former Proteas cricketer Roger Telemachus who was shot dead in gang crossfire while walking to work in Stellenbosch, were devastated when they found her body lying near a pavement and covered with a blanket. 

Meyer, 49, was walking to her cleaning job on Wednesday morning when she was caught in a gang-related shootout while crossing Pine Street in Cloetesville.

Lionel Meyer said when he kissed his wife goodbye before heading to work, he never thought he would lose her a few hours later.

She had celebrated her 49th birthday on Monday and the couple had plans to celebrate next week.

The religious couple had been married for 20 years and sang together in a choir.

Lionel told TimesLIVE they had shared a motivational message for the day before he left for work at 7am.

“I kissed her goodbye, went to put on deodorant and returned to kiss her goodbye again. She told me to enjoy my day, which she says every time we say goodbye. Before I left, I told her the apostle Paul tells us t we should not be people without hope but be people with hope. That was my message for the day for her. That was my last message to her,” he said.

He said while in a meeting at work he received a call at around 8.30am from a friend who told him Harlene had been caught in crossfire.

Hoping she had suffered minor wounds, he first went home, where his mother  told him his wife had lost her life.

He said he rushed to the hospital to confirm the news, hoping it was untrue.

After learning paramedics were still at the scene, he rushed to Pine Street, where  he found his wife lying near a pavement and covered in a blanket.

He said his his eldest son, Jordan Meyer, was the first family member to arrive at the scene.

“It was surreal. I hoped I was having a nightmare. How could it be that she was struck? How could it happen to her? .” .

When the pathologist and forensic team arrived and lifted the blanket to take pictures, Meyer said he broke down when he saw his wife’s clothes.

“I started crying. . I was crying uncontrollably. I saw it was my wife from the clothes she was wearing. That is when it became real.”

Jordan, 18, said his mother had packed his lunch for work that morning. While en route, he received a text message from neighbours who told him something had happened to his mother.

“They didn’t want to tell me what happened. A friend's father picked me up to take me to the scene. When I saw her on the road, I was traumatised. I started shaking uncontrollably. I couldn’t speak. A friend hugged me and I burst into tears. I have been crying ever since,” he said.

Jordan said they had to return home to break the news to his siblings, aged 14 and 15, 

“She was a very good person and facing such a horrible death is something I never imagined would happen to her.”

Meyer said the news shook the extended family and her four brothers. She was the only daughter.

“All are shocked. She had two brothers from her mother’s side and two brothers from her father’s side. She was a good person. She didn’t drink, she didn’t smoke. She was a chorister and we sang together in a choir.” 

Police spokesperson Captain FC Van Wyk said three people were arrested. 

"The three suspects, aged 22, 23 and 31, are expected to face a murder charge on Friday in the Stellenbosch magistrate's court," he said. 

The motive of the killing is still being investigated, Van Wyk said. 

The Stellenbosch municipality said:  "An innocent resident was fatally shot by area gang members. It is unacceptable that residents have to live in fear.

"Crime and gang violence are nasty stains on our society that thousands of South Africans across the country deal with daily. We will, give our full cooperation to the police in their investigation. Anyone with information that can help with the case is encouraged to call the police directly on 021 809 5000."

The DA in Stellenbosch said concern about gang violence in Cloetesville has been raised repeatedly with local police.

Stellenbosch mayor Gesie van Deventer and deputy mayor Jeremy Fasser had engaged with police on Wednesday morning after the shooting, said Stellenbosch DA constituency head Leon Schreiber.

TimesLIVE