NELSPRUIT The Provincial Commissioner of the police in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma, called upon all organs of society to play a pivotal role in fighting the scourge of Gender Based Violence (GBV) plaguing our communities. General Zuma pleaded with communities during the Ummemo traditional event held at and hosted by the Hhoyi Tribal Authority in Nkomazi on Saturday, 12 October 2019. His plea comes in the wake of incessant incidents of murder and rape perpetrated against women and young girls. He called on all societal formations, be it traditional authorities, traditional healers organisations, faith based organisations, political organisations, community/interest groups, schools and others to utilise any opportunity available, to sensitise especially men including boy children, on the ills and effects of GBV. In recent times there has been an unprecedented incidence of GBV, (some of them listed underneath), mainly committed by people known to the victims, who in essence are/were supposed to be the ones protecting them.
On 17 October 2019, a 57-year-old woman was fatally stabbed, allegedly by her 22-year-old grandson, at Ireagh B Metsi Matlhari Hansi, Calcutta area. Community members alerted the police about the incident and upon arrival they (police) found the suspect in possession of a knife, which may have been used as the murder weapon. He was then swiftly arrested and is expected to appear at the Mkhuhlu Magistrate’s Court tomorrow, 18 October 2019.
On 09 October 2019, a 66-year-old woman was killed and buried in a shallow grave, allegedly by her 47-year-old son at Casteel, near Acornhoek. The community then gathered, searched for him, located and stoned him before setting him alight, in an apparent act of mob justice.
In a separate incident which also took place on 09 October 2019, a 20-year-old woman was fatally stabbed by her boyfriend, who even stabbed and wounded her one year old child, at Vlaklaagte, Kwaggafontein. The victim was allegedly on her way home from her cousin’s place on the day when the suspect approached her and committed this evil deed. The suspect handed himself over to the police on Friday, 11 October 2019 and appeared at the Kwaggafontein Magistrate’s Court on Monday,14 October 2019, on charges of murder as well as attempted murder and was remanded in custody with the case postponed to 21 October 2019, for bail application.
On 04 October 2019, the body of a 17-year-old woman was discovered in a shallow grave at Pienaar, near Nelspruit, after community members spotted a shoe protruding from the ground and immediately alerted the police. They (community) apparently grew suspicious after they saw the suspect digging a hole in the area, soon after the mysterious disappearance of the victim earlier on in the day, on 28 September 2019. The suspect, Vusi Spirit Nkosi, who has been a fugitive from the law ever since was eventually nabbed on the evening of 09 October 2019, at Mattafin, near Nelspruit. He appeared at the Kanyamazane Periodical Court on Friday, 11 October 2019, where he was remanded in custody and the case postponed to 23 October 2019, for a formal bail application.
On 03 October 2019, a 37-year-old woman’s body was found under the bed at her home in Shabalala, near Hazyview. This happened after her children reportedly received a text message from her the previous day saying that she was being beaten. On the following day, the children informed their aunt about their missing mother and that her bedroom door was locked. The aunt then advised them to seek assistance from the neighbours, who in turn broke into the room where her body was discovered. Her 37-year-old boyfriend, Trouble Gaorutwe, handed himself over to the police after being sought throughout the weekend, he appeared at the Masoyi Magistrate’s Court on 09 and 15 October 2019 respectively, where he was remanded in custody and the case postponed to 25 October 2019.
On 02 October 2019, 41 year old, Mark Norris, from Tonetti Farm, near Low’s Creek allegedly shot and killed his mother before killing himself. They were both certified dead at the scene. The suspect was due to appear before the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court at Barberton on 05 November 2019, on a separate charge for two counts of murder he allegedly committed in 2017.
On 15 September 2019, a 32-year-old woman was reported missing at KwaMhlanga. A search was conducted which led to the discovery of her half naked body, with visible bruises, stuffed inside a steel case that was being used by her boyfriend as a tool box. The suspect (boyfriend), Thabiso Goliath Masehla, was later arrested and remanded in custody, he appeared today and the case was postponed to 26 November 2019, for further investigation.
On 08 September 2019, a 13-year-old girl was reported missing at Malema Section, Emzinoni, near Bethal. It is alleged that the girl was sent to a nearby shop by a neighbour but did not return. A search by her family and members of the community was launched and her body was discovered the following day by a passer-by, close to her home. A 37 year old man, Absalom Masina, was arrested a day after the discovery of the body. He was remanded in custody and the case postponed to 18 October 2019, pending a forensic report.
On 27 August 2019, in Kwaggafontein a 39-year-old woman was found dead in her house by her children when they were coming back from school. It is alleged that the kids found the house locked and decided to check through the window as they had knocked and received no response. They then saw their mother lying on the bed and called out to her but with no response, they sought assistance from the neighbours. A 41 year old man (boyfriend), Enock Shabangu, was arrested the following day in connection with the murder. He was remanded in custody and the case postponed to 21 October 2019, for further investigation.
On 15 July 2019, Julius Thabiso Mndawe aged 25, from Masoyi near Hazyview pointed out all the areas on his premises where he allegedly raped, murdered and concealed five bodies of his victims, aged between 15 and 24. Investigations are continuing, the suspect will appear again on 05 November 2019, at the Masoyi Periodical Court.
On 03 June 2019, a 28-year-old woman was killed and burned with the house at Msholozi, near White River. Her nine year old daughter was also raped but managed to escape from the burning house and called for help. No arrest has been made as yet and we request the community to assist with information that may lead to the arrest of the suspect to contact their nearest police station.
On 24 April 2019, the bodies of two young siblings aged six and seven were found in a ditch at Mganduzweni area, after they went missing from their parental home the day before, investigations also revealed that the younger sibling was allegedly raped. A local Pastor and his nephew were burnt to death in an apparent act of vigilantism, as it was believed that they were responsible for the death of the girls. Subsequent to that, a 22 year old man, Tshepiso Mokoena, believed to be related to the victims was arrested in connection with their death. The police are awaiting a forensic report relating to the case. He is currently remanded in custody on a separate case for the murder of an 18 year old woman.
On 08 April 2019, a 16-year-old girl was allegedly murdered by a 17-year-old boy (classmate) at Ncakini in Pienaar, near Nelspruit. It is alleged that the victim left home for a study session and never returned. A search was conducted but with no success. They then learned that the victim had been last seen with the suspect. During questioning, the suspect pointed out the place in the area, where he had buried the victim in a shallow grave, but later allegedly committed suicide while in police custody.
General Zuma requested that every gathering be used as a platform to talk about this scourge and the negative effects it has in society. He further discouraged community members from taking the law into their own hands and meting out what is popularly known as mob justice. General Zuma also added that if two people have a disagreement about something, they must seek help from professionals, traditional leaders or family members and desist from resorting to violence.
During the event the General also said that in the height of the scourge, police are equal to the task, hence the number of suspects arrested. He further told attendees that such social ills are not easy to police but need societal moral regeneration in rebuilding tolerance towards each other.
Source: South African Police Service