News
WATCH | ‘You take a life, you must get life’- mom of slain Stellenbosch soccer star Oshwin Andries
- Stellenbosch FC soccer captain Oshwin Andries died in his mother’s arms last weekend.
- Police have not arrested anyone in connection with his murder.
- The soccer star will be buried next weekend.
”[If] you take a life, then you must be punished for taking that life. He must get life for killing my son.”
As the pain of losing her son cuts deep, Natasha Andries says there should be no mercy for the person who killed her son, Oshwin.
The Stellenbosch FC soccer player known affectionately as “Ossie” was stabbed multiple times at a local tavern in Mandela City informal settlement in Klapmuts two weeks ago, allegedly after an altercation.
He was wounded in his head and lower back.
Last weekend he complained of excruciating pain and while they were on their way to a hospital in Paarl, he drew his last breath in his mother’s arms.
Oshwin Andries died last weekend in his mother’s arms on the way to hospital.
When News24 visited his grief-stricken family at the place in Klapmuts that Oshwin called his home for most of his life, there were flowers and condolence cards next to his many soccer trophies.
“I held him close to my chest while we prayed. I told him to just hold on, we’re almost at the hospital,” a tearful Andries said.
She recalled:
He was laying so close to my body that I could feel his heart beating very fast while he gripped my arm. But when we got to the hospital, he let go of my arm and his body pulled stiff. I just knew he was gone.
The heartbroken mother said hospital staff fetched his body from the car.
Oshwin had initially been taken to a Stellenbosch hospital just after midnight on Sunday, 29 January. He was discharged five hours later after his wounds were treated and bandaged.
He spent the week going back and forth between the homes of his mother and girlfriend, and during that time, he complained of pain.
“We took him to a local private doctor last week Saturday. The doctor then gave him stronger tablets and cleaned his wounds but he still was in pain the afternoon when he was at his girlfriend’s place. I then rushed over and we made the decision to take him to a hospital in Paarl, but he died before he could be seen by the doctors,” she said.
Ruché was with Oshwin on the night he was stabbed.
According to the family, Oshwin’s attacker is known to them.
“His family has gone around making all sorts of stories about what happened to Oshwin. They even said to me that they fear for their lives because people are threatening them. If that was the case, why are they still here in the area? Why didn’t they leave? Not once did anyone of the family come and apologise or send condolences,” Andries added.
Her week ended on Friday with the daunting task of having to view her son’s body at the local mortuary.
“My heart is so sore. When I saw him lying there, he looked so peaceful, like he was sleeping. I just wanted to wake him up and say he must come home. I never thought I would have to say goodbye to my son so early in his life,” Andries said.
She added that she had to be strong for her two other sons.
Natasha Andries and her two sons, Tashwin and Lee-Irwin.
Oshwin’s girlfriend, Ruché van Rooyen, who was with him the night he was killed, alleged that the suspect accidentally bumped into her when he fetched a bank card from a friend who was with the couple at the tavern.
“Oshwin jokingly asked him why he bumped into me, but the man took it seriously and then they had an argument. He left and came back with a knife and started stabbing multiple people at the tavern before he got to Oshwin. After stabbing the people, the man just left and we haven’t seen him again,” Van Rooyen claimed.
The family is in the process of opening a case with the police.
READ | ‘His whole family was there’: Saddened Stellies coach opens up on Oshwin Andries death
“Police have gone to take statements from other family members… I am waiting on them to come to take my statement, but I will be opening a case this week still, that’s for sure,” Andries added.
Oshwin’s brother, Lee-Irwin shook his head in disbelief and said it was hard to believe they were saying their final goodbyes to Oshwin.
“I still lay awake in the lounge waiting for my brother to shout for me to open the door for him when he comes back from training or after a night out with friends,” he said.
Lee-Irwan said there are nights where he still waits for his brother’s knock on the door after he’s been out late at night.
“It just feels weird that he’s never coming back. I’ll never hear him knocking on that door again. I still feel like I’m waiting for that knock, which I now know will never come again,” he added.
According to the family, Oshwin dreamed of playing in Europe one day and was working hard to reach his goals.
The family, all sports fanatics, added that watching a soccer game without Oshwin would never be the same.
“It was always me and my boys at every game Oshwin played. And if I couldn’t go due to work, then his brothers would go support him and I would hear about the entire game when they came home. I am going to miss that so much. Oshwin put smiles on all our faces. He was really gifted and we miss him so much already,” Andries added.
On Saturday, his team will hold a memorial service for him at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town where hundreds of “Oshwin fans” are expected to gather.
He will be buried in Stellenbosch, where he spent most of his childhood and where his soccer career kicked off.
Western Cape spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk said police were investigating the matter and that there were no new developments.
“An inquest docket is currently opened and under investigation. A post-mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death,” he added.