Today will be remembered as one of Action Society’s most significant days as the man who brutally murdered 21-year-old Carmen Gouws with an axe received two life sentences for rape and murder at the Vredendal Magistrates Court.
Calvin Cloete (38) has been sentenced to life for murder, life for rape, 13 years for attempted murder and 13 years for kidnapping. He also received 13 years for attempted murder of Isak Boois in June 2019 which he will be serving concurrently. He will only become eligible for parole after he has served 25 years.
On 7 October 2023 the 21-year-old woman was killed on her birthday after many years of abuse at the hands of Cloete. Her murder came at a time when violence against women and children reached unprecedented heights in South Africa. The cruel nature of her murder shocked her community of Lutzville West.
Action Society would also like to commend the judge who was instrumental in ensuring he received the maximum sentence.
“It is days like this that makes the countless hours at court and the endless postponements worth it. The wheels of justice turn slowly, but we refuse to allow those frustrating days to demoralise or defeat us. We continued the fight for Carmen’s family and friends until the very end,” said Action Society’s Kaylynn Palm.
