Drug mule Tessa: ‘Thank you mom’
The Brazilian authorities allowed the convicted drug mule to write a tribute which was read out at her mother's funeral.
DRUG mule Teesa Beetge was ‘absolutely inconsolable and devastated’ at the news of her mother Marie Swanepoel’s death.
She died after suffering organ failure following abdominal surgery and was buried in Steynsburg, Eastern Cape last Thursday.
The emailed message from Tessa to her mother was read out by her sister, Zelda Smit at the service held at the Marais Steyn Old Age Home.
It read: “Thank you for being my mom, thank you for your everlasting love and support. Thank you for always being there. Thank you for being my pillar of strength. Thank you for your commitment and strength you have given us and thank you for everything. I will miss you but will remember what you stood for and know that God had a special plan for you. Nikita, Roxanne – I love you and oumie always. Mommy, you are forever in our hearts and soul.”
Margie Olsen (Marie Swanepoel’s sister), pledged to continue with the fight to have Tessa released early.
“We promise to take Marie’s message and story further and we will not give up the hope of having Tessie being released soon and to come home to our family.”
Speaking to the mourners she said, “Today we are celebrating Marie’s life. Marie was a quiet, gentle and unassuming person yet she had more strength than all of us put together.”
She said her sister had lived in the hope of seeing her daughter again. “Marie suffered so much but she never considered giving up. I promise you I will finish your story.”
Marie was instrumental in gathering the evidence which led to the conviction and sentencing of Sheryl Cwele, ex-wife of state security minister, Siyabonga Cwele and Nigerian Frank Nabolisa. who were both sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment.
The Brazilian judiciary has indicated it would consider Mrs Beetge’s sentence being further reduced if Cwele and Nabolisa served lengthy jail terms.
Tessa’s teenage daughters, Nikita and Roxanne, live with their father and have only spoken to their mother once in the past five years. They too, were saddened by their grandmother’s death.
Tessa’s sisters, Brenda and Zelda Smit (they are married to brothers) were devastated by the news of their mother’s death which they received when they arrived in the country. They live in Australia and were on the flight home when Marie died.
The family said they would never forgive Cwele.
