p otograp s t ey oo
like three ordinary kids: a gap-
toothed boy who loved playing with
his toy dinosaurs and his two older
sisters who doted on him.
But there might be secrets hiding
behind their seemingly carefree
smiles. Because it turns out that life
in their home in Brakpan, Gauteng, was
far from happy.
Pictures show fire-damaged rooms in
disarray, with clothes and toys strewn all
over the floor. Most disturbing of all are
two bloodstained mattresses pushed to-
gether on the living room floor – this was
where two of the siblings, Simeon (10)
and Shereé (19), were recently found
shot dead along with their mother, San-
dra Schwartz (39).
There’s blood spatter nearby, next to a
black leather couch where their sister,
Lee-Ann(16),wasalsoshot.Now detectives are trying to connect
e dots. A gun was reportedly found
Sandra’s hand, sparking suspicion
at she’d used it on her three children
efore turning it on herself.
Sandra’s husband, Johan (41), is said
have been at his job at a guesthouse
e time of their deaths. When he got
e at 5pm that day he was shocked to
the house on fire and when he
ped inside he discovered his wife,
r son and her two daughters from a
ious marriage all dead.
ut while police continue to search for
clues about what exactly unfolded in the
family home, Sandra’s mother, Levina
Britz, and seven siblings insist there’s no
way she would’ve been capable of shoot-
ing her children. “She’d never do some-
thing like that. Her children were her life.
She would’ve done anything for them,”
maintains Levina, who lives in Alberton.
In the weeks leading up to the tragedy
she was deeply concerned about her
daughter, Levina says. “Sandra had a de-
feated expression. She told me she didn’t
feel safe, and now the precious woman
and children are dead.”
Levina and the rest of her family claim
the circumstances in which the family
lived were desperate and on some days
the kids didn’t have anything to eat.
In the wake of their deaths there have
also been reports that they were kept out
of school and claims that the girls weresexually abused by a close relative.
But although Levina was worried sick,
she never thought it would come to this.T
HE bell announces break time
at a school across the street,
and the sound of children’s
laughter filters through Levi-
na’s front door. It’s a jarring
contrast to the sombre atmos-
phere in the lounge with its porcelain
figurines and sunflower tapestry on the
wall.
Levina struggles for control as she
shares memories of the daughter and
grandchildren she lost.
Sandra was almost painfully tidy and
did everything she could to ensure a
good future for her children, Levina tells
YOU. “Her two girls were in the top 10 ac-
ademically when they went to Suidheu-
wels Primary,” she says.
But none of the children was in school
for the past few years, apparently due to
financial reasons. “I tried visiting them
every week. I’d load my white Kia with
groceries to take to them. Sometimes
they didn’t even have sugar in the house,”
Levina says.
“Whenever they visited me, Simeon
would eat almost 10 bowls of Weet-Bix.
How can a little boy be that hungry?”
Levina trembles with the effort of sup-
pressing her emotions. “We tried inter-
vening so many times but Sandra didn’tBLOODBATH IN BRAKPAN
THE DECEASED
A heartbroken gran tells of the devastation
she feels after the mysterious deaths of her
daughter and grandchildren BY JACQUES MYBURGH
8 | 22 AUGUST 2019 you.co.zaBELOW: Two blood-stained
mattresses found on the lounge
floor. BOTTOM: Levina Britz
can’t believe her daughter and
grandchildren are gone.