‘Many factors’ lead to family killings

THE Western Cape has been rocked by two family murders in the past month, and several cases have come before the courts in the past year.

Government departments and police victim support groups have called on vulnerable families, especially men, to seek the help of counsellors as murders increase in households.

Experts who deal with family murders on a daily basis say emotional trauma, jealousy, narcissistic behaviour, alcoholism, financial stress, mental health and drug addiction, were some of the contributing factors which could set off a catastrophe such as a family member taking the life of his or her relatives.

A week ago, the quiet suburb of Kuils River was shocked after Hilton Van Zyl, 48, allegedly shot and killed his wife, Anastasia, 44, who worked in real estate, and their daughter, Cassidy, 15, at home.

The couple’s 23-year-old son escaped harm after managing to make a run for it, and Van Zyl then apparently turned the gun on himself.

On Saturday, September 24, while the country celebrated Heritage day, Cassidy Hartzenberg, 18 dressed himself in a suit and attended the funeral of his aunt Romay Van Rooyen in Mitchells Plain. He was a pallbearer and sat in the front row in the church with other family members.

Four days later, police arrested

Hartzenberg for his aunt’s murder.

Van Rooyen was a well-known magistrate and worked at the Vredenberg Court.

Last month, Van Rooyen’s body was discovered inside her home in Marina Da Gama and there was no forced entry to the house.

Van Rooyen’s vehicle was found a day later abandoned in the Siqalo informal settlement.

On Thursday, Hartzenberg made his first appearance at the Simon’s Town Magistrate’s Court, and the State is set to prove that he strangled his aunt and stole her vehicle and cash.

In March, Voice SA sensation Craig Lucas’ brother, Warren Lucas, and his wife, Arlene, were killed inside their home in Protea Heights in Brackenfell.

A 15-year-old relative was later arrested.

MEC for police oversight and community safety Reagan Allen said he was concerned about the increase in family killings and called on relatives to seek counselling and spiritual enrichment if they had domestic issues within the household.

“As families and communities we have to support and uplift each other. Where there are differences and disputes, and families are unable to resolve these issues themselves, I’d like to encourage them to request and obtain external assistance, whether this be in the form of any spiritual leader, counsellor or professional that handles family disputes.”

Trauma counsellor Dawn Roode, who often acts as a victim supporter at police stations, has dealt with several cases involving family murders.

She said the main factor behind such killings were narcissistic behaviour. She called on men to seek counselling and for more workshops and programmes to be made available.

“We need to speak about narcissistic behaviour, men sometimes have a past of anger that they have not dealt with, and they bring it into their marriage, that is why we need to have more workshops for men,” said Roode.

Spokesperson for MEC of Social Development, Sharna Fernandez, Esther Lewis said families should reach out to social workers and attend counselling sessions.