- A man has appeared in court over a fatal knife attack on a Durban family.
- Grayson Beare is alleged to have stabbed Halima Hoosen-Preston to death and seriously injured her husband and daughter.
- Beare’s family have apologised to the Hoosen-Preston family and distanced themselves from Grayson.
Grayson Beare appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday morning charged with the murder of Halima Hoosen-Preston and critically injuring her husband, Shaun, and 14-year-old son because they “supported Palestine”.
It is alleged that Beare, the adopted son of Julian Beare, the managing director of Beare Holdings, invaded the Hoosen-Preston home in the early hours of Sunday morning and carried out the fatal knife attack.
READ | Two arrested for murder after 69-year-old man’s body found in KZN sugarcane field
Paramedics told News24 on Monday that Hoosen-Preston’s husband and son had to receive advanced life support before being rushed to hospital.
The case against Beare was adjourned to 11 June for a mental assessment and bail consideration.
In a video that has gone viral, Grayson Beare speaks of why he allegedly carried out the attack on the family. Asked why he allegedly killed an innocent person, he said: “She is not totally innocent,” adding that Hoosen-Preston “and her family thought it was entertaining that my cousins were killed in Israel”.
Asked if he was Jewish, he said he was “not anything” and had “rejected the religion completely”, but “had family” in Israel. Asked if he was a Zionist, he said: “Once upon a time.”
The State said it was opposed to bail.
In a statement issued on Tuesday morning, Beare’s family apologised to the Hoosen-Preston family and distanced themselves from him. The family confirmed that he was born Grayson King and was the son of Julian Beare’s late wife “from whom Julian had been estranged for over 30 years”.
In the statement, the family said Julian had adopted Grayson when they married, but had been estranged from him for a number of years.
Halima Hoosen-Preston and her husband Shaun, along with their two children. They were brutally stabbed in their home leading to Halima losing her life. (Supplied)
“It is with shock and dismay that the Beare family learnt of the heinous attack on the Hoosen-Preston family in the early hours of Sunday morning,” they said. “We extend our deepest condolences to the Hoosen-Preston family, the deceased’s loved ones and community, and heartfelt prayers for a full recovery for those injured.”
The family said they were shocked by the “abhorrent violence” and “wholly condemn” Grayson Beare’s alleged actions.
“While nothing we say or do can reverse these violent actions, as a family, we stand with the Hoosen-Prestons and offer them our full support,” they said.
“We were also horrified by his deeply upsetting comments that we heard in the video currently circulating.”
The statement continued:
We totally reject any association with what he said and what he has done.
The family claimed that Grayson had a history of substance abuse and “psychological issues” and, to their knowledge, was “still under professional medical care”.
“The family will not assist financially or in any way with Grayson Beare’s defence,” they added. .
“We reiterate that we stand firmly for and with the victims – the Hoosen-Preston family.”
The South African
Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) said in a statement on Monday that it was “outraged by the killing of Halima
Hoosen-Preston and the attacks on her family members”.
“This is a tragic event
and our hearts and prayers go out to the affected family.
“We ask that this
matter be investigated thoroughly by the judicial system, and that the
investigations and legal processes be allowed to take their course,” they said.
In this highly charged
environment, we call for calm from all communities so that justice can prevail.
.jpg "GTI Energy confirms board changes")
Discussion about this post