On December 2 2018, Jolandi le Roux fell to her death on her birthday when she leaped into the air for a photograph at the cliff’s edge of Chapman’s Peak Lookout Point. Rescuers partook in a six-hour-long attempt to recover her body in the dark. She was reportedly found at the bottom of a V-shaped gully.
“We know from the deceased’s husband that there were people at the scene when his wife fell,” said Hout Bay detective commander Captain Deon Bock said to the Weekend Argus. “But nobody took their names. We are asking those eyewitnesses to come forward to assist us in our investigation.”
Initial reports suggested Jolandi had celebrated her 31st birthday at Lookout Point with family, but it was later revealed that she and her husband Andrew had arrived at Lookout Point alone. As reported by the Weekend Argus, they sat talking at the edge of the cliff for some time before she fell.
It is alleged that Jolandi’s family rushed to the scene after Andrew called Jolandi’s mother to inform her of her daughter’s death.
He did not explain to detectives why he and Jolandi ignored the signs that read “CAUTION! Strong winds and steep cliffs. Please stay behind the fence at all times”. Instead, he said that Jolandi was not happy with the pictures taken, and wanted to jump to get the sun in the background of the photo. She then lost her balance and fell over the edge of the cliff.
Rescuers were flabbergasted to find that Andrew had free-climbed his way 100 metres down a 65-degree slope of loose sandstone to find Jolandi without falling to his death.
According to the Weekend Argus, sources close to the couple revealed they were having issues.
When contacted for comment, Andrew said: “I’m not saying anything out of respect to my wife. I don’t think she would want to be spoken about in the way that it has been explained what happened. Revisiting this makes the long, hard journey to recovery only much harder and offers no benefit to anyone.”
Witnesses can contact Captain Deon Bock at 0824692576.
Picture: Facebook