Mkhuseli Sizani
Jerry Klaasen is appealing to residents not to kill her daughter’s boyfriend but rather let him be sent to jail if he is guilty.
Rozette Klaasen, 34, was found dead at her boyfriend’s place in Arcadia, Port Elizabeth after she had drinks with her boyfriend and a friend.
Both her community and family believe her boyfriend is behind her death.
The appeal from Jerry Klaasen, Rozette’s 74-year-old father, comes after residents attacked the boyfriend, but he was rescued by police.
Jerry said his daughter left home on Friday night with her boyfriend and the friend.
“But on Saturday her friend came and told us our daughter had died after a night of drinking,” said Jerry.
He said he believes his daughter was poisoned.
He said his daughter’s face and neck had blood on it and her stomach was bloated and had turned blue.
“According to neighbours her boyfriend asked them to help him with an ambulance around 8pm,” he said.
“He never bothered to come himself to tell us that our daughter was sick as he claims. The community assaulted him with pick handles, fists and kicked him. But the quick response from the police saved him.”
Jerry said he only wants to see him rotting in jail.
“He made my daughter’s life miserable,” he said.
Rozette’s older sister, Nandipha said they warned her about her abusive boyfriend.
“They had been together for 12 years and have a ten-year-old daughter together. Every time they went drinking, he would assault her. He always threatened her that if he can’t have her no one else will,” she said.
“When we arrived at his house we found him drinking beer while my sister was lying on the floor in his room.”
Colonel Priscilla Naidu said Rozette spent the night at his house.
“At about 2:00 on Saturday when her boyfriend woke up to go to the toilet he allegedly noticed that she was not moving.”
Naidu said he placed her on the floor to revive her and then went to neighbours to get help.
“Rozette was already dead prior to receiving any medical treatment. An inquest docket was opened. Post mortem report is awaited.”
Rozette also has three boys aged between two and 12.
