23 July 2008
Cape Town — Two days before she was shot dead at a Protea Village show house, Rosemarie Annamarie Vosloo obtained a protection order against her ex-husband and the police were ordered to confiscate his firearm.
But his firearm was never taken from him.
On June 23, Vosloo died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds, allegedly fired by her ex-husband, businessman Johannes Archer.
He is charged with murdering his ex-wife.
Vosloo's sister, Amelia van der Westhuizen, has lodged an urgent application in the Cape High Court for guardianship of the couple's two children.
She also wants the court to prohibit Archer from having any contact with her or the children, and says she fears he may try to hurt them.
Van der Westhuizen's fears were sparked by her sister's pleas shortly before her death that Van der Westhuizen ensure the children's safety.
The younger of the two, a 16-year-old, is in protective custody.
Vosloo, 44, a Pam Golding estate agent, died of her wounds at the Durbanville Medi-Clinic on June 23, the day after Archer allegedly shot at her five times at a showhouse in Brackenfell. Four of the shots hit Vosloo.
Archer, who owns a transport business, applied for bail in the Blue Downs magistrate's court but his application was refused on July 4.
His appeal against that decision was dismissed in the Cape High Court on Friday.
During his bail application, the court heard evidence that Archer had allegedly posed as a client when he contacted his ex-wife's employers so that he could find out where she was that day.
On August 4, the court is expected to hear Van der Westhuizen's guardianship application.
In an affidavit before the court, she said her sister had left Archer in 2001 and their divorce had been finalised on July 4 last year.
Vosloo obtained custody of the children and Archer was allowed contact with them and had to pay monthly maintenance.
Van der Westhuizen said the couple had had a stormy marriage, which turned violent from time to time, prompting Vosloo to obtain domestic violence interdicts against Archer.
The last protection order she had obtained was an interim order granted on June 20 - two days before she was killed - and it included an order that police confiscate his firearm.
"The tragedy is that this never happened," she said.
When applying for that order, Vosloo alleged that Archer abused her both physically and emotionally.
She complained about his drinking habits and said he had threatened her on several occasions.
She said she was worried that he had access to a firearm.
Vosloo said police had previously confiscated his gun but it was later returned to him.
The younger of the two children has been taken to a place of safety and Van der Westhuizen says she is concerned about the child's safety.
She has asked the court to suspend Archer's access rights and says her application should be viewed as one of extreme urgency.
In her will, Vosloo bequeathed her entire estate to her children in equal shares, and awarded guardianship to her sister.
Van der Westhuizen obtained an interim order and the matter returns to court on August 4.
Archer is to appear in the Blue Downs magistrate's court again on September 5.
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