Niël Terbanché
TEARS flowed freely and raw cries of emotion echoed through the Narraville rugby stadium as friends and family gathered to bid a final goodbye to Shannon Wasserfal.
After waiting for almost three hours for the casket of the young woman to arrive at the venue for the memorial service and almost two months for her body to be brought back home for her funeral, people could no longer contain their grief.
Shannon was reported missing by the godmother of her two-year-old son during the first week of April. Azaan Madisia was arrested six months later and charged with the murder of her friend.
RAW EMOTION: Family and friends of the late Shannon Wasserfal could not contain their grief when her casket arrived in the Narraville rugby stadium where a final memorial service was held for her on the eve of her funeral in Kuisebmond. – Photos: Niël Terblanché 
RAW EMOTION: Family and friends of the late Shannon Wasserfal could not contain their grief when her casket arrived in the Narraville rugby stadium where a final memorial service was held for her on the eve of her funeral in Kuisebmond. – Photos: Niël Terblanché 
RAW EMOTION: Family and friends of the late Shannon Wasserfal could not contain their grief when her casket arrived in the Narraville rugby stadium where a final memorial service was held for her on the eve of her funeral in Kuisebmond. – Photos: Niël Terblanché 
RAW EMOTION: Family and friends of the late Shannon Wasserfal could not contain their grief when her casket arrived in the Narraville rugby stadium where a final memorial service was held for her on the eve of her funeral in Kuisebmond. – Photos: Niël Terblanché 
RAW EMOTION: Family and friends of the late Shannon Wasserfal could not contain their grief when her casket arrived in the Narraville rugby stadium where a final memorial service was held for her on the eve of her funeral in Kuisebmond. – Photos: Niël Terblanché 
RAW EMOTION: Family and friends of the late Shannon Wasserfal could not contain their grief when her casket arrived in the Narraville rugby stadium where a final memorial service was held for her on the eve of her funeral in Kuisebmond. – Photos: Niël Terblanché 
RAW EMOTION: Family and friends of the late Shannon Wasserfal could not contain their grief when her casket arrived in the Narraville rugby stadium where a final memorial service was held for her on the eve of her funeral in Kuisebmond. – Photos: Niël Terblanché 
RAW EMOTION: Family and friends of the late Shannon Wasserfal could not contain their grief when her casket arrived in the Narraville rugby stadium where a final memorial service was held for her on the eve of her funeral in Kuisebmond. – Photos: Niël Terblanché 
RAW EMOTION: Family and friends of the late Shannon Wasserfal could not contain their grief when her casket arrived in the Narraville rugby stadium where a final memorial service was held for her on the eve of her funeral in Kuisebmond. – Photos: Niël Terblanché 
RAW EMOTION: Family and friends of the late Shannon Wasserfal could not contain their grief when her casket arrived in the Narraville rugby stadium where a final memorial service was held for her on the eve of her funeral in Kuisebmond. – Photos: Niël Terblanché
Shannon was buried in a shallow grave and her body was only found after detectives followed up on an anonymous text message that was sent from a phone traced back to Madisia. The 28-year-old woman’s half brother, Steven Mulundu, was arrested at the start of November and both are now facing charges of murder and interfering with the course of justice.
The clothes in which Shannon was dressed at the time that her body was found was the same clothes she wore in one of the last photographs ever taken of her.
Shannon’s funeral will take place in the Walvis Bay on Saturday morning when family and friends will pay their final respects to the young woman that has invoked strong emotions and through activism against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence became the icon of the #ShutItAllDown Movement.
