KATE SIDLEY: Suna Venter - hounded to death in the land of the broken-hearted
'She had recently been diagnosed with "Broken Heart Syndrome", a cardiac condition known as stress cardiomyopathy which severely weakens the heart muscles'
A young woman has been hounded and harassed to death. Suna Venter, one of the ‘SABC 8’ journalists fired for speaking out against Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s policies at the public broadcaster, died last week at 32. She had recently been diagnosed with "Broken Heart Syndrome", a cardiac condition known as stress cardiomyopathy which severely weakens the heart muscles. Since being fired, and then reinstated, the journalist had been mercilessly harassed and abused: shot in the face with a pellet gun, threatened on the phone, assaulted, and abducted and tied to a tree at Melville Koppies while the grass around her was set alight. Her flat was repeatedly broken into, her tyres slashed and the brake cables on her car cut. Her family believe that her ongoing victimisation and trauma lead to the extreme and unremitting stress that damaged her heart and, ultimately, lead to her death. In a photograph online, taken at a protest, she has a black cross of masking tape over her mouth. In another, taken...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.