Nineteen years after the murder of her daughter, Lizel, Alice Polley says she is still searching for answers and believes justice has never been served.

Lizel was 21 when she was killed in 2007. A model, actress and Alice’s only child, her death shocked the community.

While much of the public attention over the years has focused on the circumstances surrounding her murder, Alice wants people to remember who Lizel was in life.

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“She was my whole world,” said Alice.

According to her mother, Lizel was friendly, bubbly and kind-hearted.

She began modelling at the age of 15 and, despite experiencing bullying at school, remained compassionate and caring towards others.

“She was only 21 and had just started living her life and chasing her dreams,” Alice recalled.

“She was such a lovable person and had a great passion for animals. She couldn’t hurt a fly.”

Alice described her daughter as someone who loved people and welcomed everyone into her life. The pair shared a close relationship and spent much of their time together.

“We were like two friends, never mind mother and daughter,” she said.

Nearly two decades later, Alice says she misses every aspect of her daughter’s presence in her life.
She fondly remembers shopping trips, late-night drives to roadhouses, movie outings, watching DVDs together and playing cards in bed.

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“We did everything together,” she said. “That’s what I miss, her company.”

The pain of losing Lizel has never faded.

Alice said she still experiences flashbacks and struggles to watch violent scenes on television. She often follows crime investigation programmes and stories about families searching for justice years after losing loved ones.

“My life broke down. I had no dreams anymore,” she said.

She had envisioned becoming a grandmother one day and sharing future milestones with her daughter. Those dreams, she said, were shattered when Lizel was killed.

One of Alice’s greatest frustrations remains the lack of answers regarding the investigation.

“There are no answers, nothing. The officers always said they would get back to me,” she said.

Despite her disappointment, Alice believes the case could still be solved if the right investigators were assigned to it.

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The questions that continue to haunt her are who killed Lizel, why they did it and whether her daughter knew more about the danger she faced than she ever revealed.

Alice is also critical of the initial investigation. She alleges mistakes made at the crime scene may have compromised evidence.

“They messed up and contaminated the scene,” she claimed.

According to Alice, numerous officers entered the house and the scene was not properly secured.

She further alleged that important evidence was overlooked, while some items collected during the investigation were later reported missing.

She also claims family members discovered items that should have been collected by investigators and

that an officer instructed relatives to clean parts of the house before forensic work had been completed.
“They handled the case so unprofessionally,” she said.

Since 2007, the case has reportedly been handled by five different detectives. Alice said the most recent detective uncovered a missing item linked to the investigation nearly 18 years after the murder.
The loss of Lizel has affected every aspect of Alice’s life.

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Over the years, she has battled feelings of anger, hopelessness and despair. At times, she questioned whether life was worth living, but says the support of her family helped her through her darkest moments.
She also found comfort in art and creativity and spent periods living with relatives after moving several times following her daughter’s death.

As June 26 approaches, the date Lizel would have celebrated her 40th birthday, Alice often finds herself wondering what her daughter’s life might have looked like today.

“How would you have looked by now? How many children and grandchildren would I have had?” she asked.

Today, Alice uses her experience to encourage young women to remain vigilant and aware of potential dangers. She also urges other parents who have lost children to speak openly about their grief and not give up hope.

When asked what justice would look like after 19 years, Alice admitted she no longer knows.

“At this stage, not good,” she said. “I’m just hoping for a miracle. I believe in miracles.”

While anger once consumed her, Alice said she has come to believe there are only two choices: forgiveness or entrusting judgment to God.

If given one final opportunity to speak to her daughter, however, her wish would be simple.

“I just want her back,” she said. “My heart is broken. I’m actually a broken person. But I’ve got to put on a brave face every day and smile. Nobody knows what’s in my heart.”

“According to the case number provided, a murder case was registered at Sebenza Police Station on January 18, 2007,” said SAPS Captain Tintswalo Sibeko.

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“Due to the seriousness of the matter, the docket was transferred between various investigating units, including the Provincial Organised Crime Unit, and was later assigned to the Provincial Investigation Unit, which is responsible for the investigation of cold cases.

“The investigation has been conducted, and the docket was booked out to the Kempton Park Public Prosecutor on June 3, 2024, for guidance and further instructions.

“The docket has since been returned to the Provincial Investigation Unit for continued investigation. Unfortunately, we are not at liberty to give details of the investigation. The matter remains under investigation,” said Sibeko.