Why was this not reported to the news media? Why was Mrs Arkner not offered trauma-counselling?
• We sent the following request to the SAPS Gauteng media liaison office, Lt-Col Lungelo Dlamini (Contact numbers : 082 411 5311 E-mail : gpmedia@saps.org.za Tel (011) 274 7373 Cell: 082 411 5311 Email: gpmedia@saps.org.za
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Urgent to Lt -col. Lungelo Dlamini, SAPS Gauteng Media Liaison Office of the Provincial Commissioner Dec 31 2010 -
Subject: December 9 2010 - assault and armed house-robbery against Mr Karl Gaiduschek, 80, Klopper Park, Germiston
I am enquiring about a crime-incident targetting frail elderly people in the Germiston area, which the SAPS has not bothered to report to the local news media. Since May 2010, a group of people have started maintaining an online archive of all such violent crime incidents which are not reported by the SA police… but should be.
Could you please comment on/confirm the following crime:
• On Thursday 9 December 2010 at 12h00 - in broad daylight - Mr Karl Gaiduschek (80) was resting in his Klopper Park, Germiston, residence, when his life-partner, Ms Ursula Arkner (76) was attacked by three males with knobkieries inside their home. Old Ms Arkner was tied up and the unarmed Mr Gaiduschek was attacked with knobkieries and beaten while he was still laying in bed. He was beaten until he was unconscious and laying bloody and almost dead. The attackers spent the next 3 hours assaulting him and ransacking the house. They left the scene with Mrs Arkner's vehicle - taking with them clothing, food, liquor, cellphones. Throughout this attack, Ms Arkner had to listen to her partner being assaulted and eventually she managed to free herself and pressed the panic button - which did not function. Her daughter's friend later turned up with the police. It is believed that she called for help by telephone. Ms Arkner stated at that time that she ‘was not hurt’ and refused medical attention. However trauma-counselling was not offered to her either. Mr Gaiduschek was hospitalized and is recovering physically, but is very weak and severely traumatized. Ms Arkner died in her sleep last Monday night December 20 2010
- doctors presume that her death was due to the after-effects of the shock and the trauma she went through."
QUESTION 1: I would appreciate your advice as to the accuracy of the description above, i .e. did this incident take place as described?
QUESTION 2: Did the Germiston police obtain or even offer any trauma-counselling to these frail victims of this heinous crime against two defenceless pensioners? If not, why not?
QUESTION 3: Has anyone been arrested? If yes, please advise when they will appear on court, where and on which date. Please advise the contact number of the investigating officer and name so that we may follow up this case by obtaining counselling and support for Mr Gaiduschek during the trial.
Thank you. Adriana Stuijt, a.j.stuijt@knid.nl
