South African police hunt killer of honeymoon tourist
Bride murdered, but husband released unharmed after UK couple Shrien and Anni Dewani were carjacked in Cape Town
The couple – named in reports as Shrien and Anni Dewani – had been married for just a fortnight when their shuttle-service car was targeted in Gugulethu township on the outskirts of Cape Town late on Saturday night.
Their driver was forced out and the couple were abducted at gunpoint in the car, a Volkswagen Sharan. Shrien, from Westbury-on-Trym in Bristol, was released unharmed about an hour later in Harare, an area of the township of Khayelitsha.
Anni, 28, who was of Ugandan-Asian descent, was killed. Her body was found yesterday morning in the back seat of the abandoned car.
A Western Cape police spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Andre Traut, said: "The driver was forced out of the vehicle then the two armed suspects took off with the vehicle with the couple inside."
Police refused to comment on the cause of Anni's death. A postmortem examination will take place in the coming days. There were unconfirmed reports that she had been shot.
Albert Fritz, the province's minister for community safety, appealed for local people to come forward with information.
He said: "This could have happened to any of our loved ones and it is important that communities become involved in doing the right thing."
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are aware of the situation and are providing consular assistance to a British national who is involved, and their family."
A police spokesman said: "After seeking the assistance of a passing motorist, [the husband] was taken to Harare police station unharmed.
"An extensive search for the vehicle and the female victim resulted in the discovery of the hijacked vehicle in Lingelethu West, with the female victim's body on the back seat. An autopsy will later reveal the exact cause of her death."
Officials expressed horror at the killing. Tammy Evans, a spokeswoman for the Western Cape provincial government, said: "The tourism safety and support team have been at the scene since 7.20 [yesterday] morning. We arranged counselling and accommodation for the husband. We are obviously devastated by the tragedy. We have had no incidents from the World Cup up until now."
Cape Town is South Africa's leading tourist destination, with its attractions including Table Mountain, Robben Island, beaches and nearby vineyards.
Alan Winde, the Western Cape tourism minister, said he believed the couple had been on a tour of the vineyards and had decided to drive through Gugulethu to "look at some of the nightlife".
He understood the husband had family members in South Africa, who were coming to join him. "It's a huge shock," he added.
South Africa has one of the highest crime rates in the world, with an average of 46 murders a day. The majority take place in townships, and tourists are rarely the victims.
A huge increase in security for this summer's World Cup helped ensure there were few serious incidents.
Last year, there were 13,902 carjackings in South Africa, down from 14,915 in 2008-09. The annual murder rate fell by 8.6% to dip below 17,000 for the first time since nationwide records began in 1995-96.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/nov/15/south-africa-honeymoon-tourist-carjacking
