Marli van Breda distressed by latest developments

14 June 2016

Cape Town – Stellenbosch axe attack survivor Marli van Breda was aware that her brother Henri had been taken into custody for their family’s murders.

"The news is understandably very distressing to Marli," her legal representative and curator, Advocate Louise Buikman, confirmed to News24 on Tuesday.

“The family want justice to take its course.”

Henri, 21, was ordered to report to the Stellenbosch police station on Monday afternoon.

Lieutenant Colonel Andre Traut said their investigation led to the arrest of a man who had "handed himself over to the Stellenbosch police at 15:30".

He was expected to appear in the Stellenbosch Magistrate's court later on Tuesday, facing three counts of murder and one of attempted murder.

Van Breda was arrested more than a year after the attack on their family, at their luxury golf estate home in Stellenbosch.

Parents Teresa and Martin, and their other son Rudi, were killed while their daughter Marli was left clinging to life. She eventually recovered.

Buikman did not respond to questions on how Marli’s recovery was going and whether she still suffered from retrograde amnesia.

She said the family “request the press to handle the situation with sensitivity and respect Marli's privacy in compliance with the High Court Order”.

The Western Cape High Court ruled a year ago that Marli be placed in the care of her aunt and uncle.

High Court Judge Siraj Desai also ordered she not be photographed or interviewed by the media without Buikman’s consent.

Buikman confirmed at the time that Marli was in contact her brother.

This article first appeared on News24, see here.