Nearly five years since their 12-year-old daughter was shot, execution style, right in front of her mother’s eyes and they were placed into a witness protection programme for their own safety, Candice and Edmund Tee are barely making ends meet.
Their lives were changed forever in June 2016, when Nealon Redhouse and Deon Harmse banged on the front door of their house in the metro’s northern areas, claiming to be police officers and later shot and killed their daughter, Aaliyah “Angel” Tee.
When the Tee family did not open the door, they forcefully entered through the back door, shooting and injuring Edmund, leading to him first being paralysed and later losing both legs.
The two then proceeded to the bathroom where Candice and Angel were hiding and despite the two pleading for their lives, Angel was shot in the head, causing Candice to collapse and lose consciousness. She later woke up to find her daughter’s lifeless body in a pool of blood.
Redhouse and Harmse were sentenced to 30 years in prison for Angel’s murder, attempted murder of her parents and several other charges.
After Angel’s murder, the Tees had to leave Nelson Mandela Bay and will never be able to return, as their lives could still be in danger, but the couple is having a hard time being away from family and struggling financially, since Edmund is wheelchair-bound and Candice lost her business when she left Nelson Mandela Bay.
“We can never go back and if we do, it has to be undercover. It breaks our hearts that we have to sneak around like criminals just to see our own family. Constantly looking over your shoulder is horrible because that is not a life,” Candice explained.
During Angel’s murder trial in the Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) High Court, it was revealed that Candice had witnessed the murder of known gang leader, Donovan “Staal” Berry, that was affiliated with the Spotbouers gang.
Staal died in a hail of bullets just a month before Angel was murdered and the incident took place across the road from the Tee family’s house.
Candice testified that she had just left the shop across the road and was on her way back home when Staal was shot. Edmund was in their yard.
The couple then started to receive death threats. They were subsequently (after Angel’s murder) placed in witness protection. Candice talked to PE Express via a telephonic interview about how their lives have been turned upside down.
“Our lives were taken away from us and it has been so difficult. We are completely broke and living on disability grants.
“It’s very hard for me to accept and I hate feeling like a beggar because I used to have my own business and provided for my family,” she added.
According to Candice, they are free to move around where they are now, but they’re always wary of their surroundings.
“Since Edmund doesn’t have his legs anymore, I do everything and take care of him.
“Sometimes I have to get his medication at the hospital and I have to go alone, which is also dangerous, but we don’t have any transport. We rely on those with transport in our neighbourhood who are willing to help us. Our son is struggling to find a job.”
Candice mentioned that she doesn’t even know what is going through her husband’s mind because he doesn’t open up. She would sometimes just see the sadness in his eyes.
She added that although dealing with Angel’s death has become somewhat bearable, there are moments when she just can’t stop crying.
“I am sad every day of my life. I miss my child so much. She was my darling Angel: so beautiful, healthy, friendly and the light in everyone’s eyes,” Candice said.
“I think about it every day, how they shot her and I still get nightmares. I try to pull myself together but sometimes I just break.
“I have been to a psychologist but the fact that it happened right before my eyes is something that I will never ever be able forget,” she said..
“Things are quiet and calm where we are, but it feels like we have just been dumped here and people have forgotten about us.
“We don’t have money for our son to go and study and he is here at home. Things really are not going well and we are struggling,” she said.
“Sometimes I wish we could just go back home, but our lives are still very much in danger. It just seems so pointless that our daughter was taken away from us and our lives were completely turned upside down, leaving us destitute.”
