Activists and government officials who attended University of Fort Hare law student Nosicelo Mtebeni’s funeral have called for the government to prioritise and implement comprehensive strategies to deal with gender-based violence.
Mtebeni has been laid to rest at her home village of Khauoe near Matatiele in the Eastern Cape.
Family and friends described her as a humble and visionary individual whose mission was to contribute to the judiciary of this country.
Nosicelo was brutally killed allegedly by her boyfriend at Quigney in East London.
Social Development MEC Siphokazi Mani-Lusithi says it is time to act.
“Gender-Based Violence needs all of us to help each other; not against each other. It needs government, civil society, traditional leaders, religious leaders because it needs leadership to be shown where the people are. It is something that government cannot fight on its own. The implementation of the national framework on gender-based violence, what is paramount (is that) there must be accountability from all levels.”’
Higher Education, Science, and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande has condemned the brutal killing of women.
“I am hurt whenever a student passes away, whenever a woman student is brutalised, but this brutalisation of Nosicelo is beyond words.”
Nzimande says the focus should also be directed to a boy child, in order to curb the scourge of gender-based violence.
“We need to ask ourselves a question, ‘what are we telling the boys such that some of them just become monsters like Nosicelo’s boyfriend?’ What is it (that) we do not tell them (that) we are supposed to tell them? We must address this because clearly there is a problem.”
Nosicelo Mtebeni Funeral I Minister Blade Nzimande delivers eulogy:
Loved ones devastated
It was a traumatic and sorrowful farewell for student.
Mtebeni was a beacon of hope for her family and community – a would-be Concourt judge.
Her father, Kholisile Mtebeni, says this is a painful experience for the family.
“Nosicelo was very close to me and I cannot best explain her closeness to me. She was never raised by her mother. I raised her since she was 4 years and I took it upon myself to raise and educate her. So, I am heartbroken”
Nosicelo Mtebeni Funeral I Her father Kholisile Mtebeni expresses his grief:
Her close friend Asiphe Mhlathi described her as a hope to the family.
“I am hurt, and very hurt. I am not ready to talk about her. It is difficult to see parents mourning their child. We were expecting a beautiful graduate but this one we did not see it coming.”
Nosicelo Mtebeni’s funeral service:
Stakeholders believe that gender-based violence will continue to haunt South Africa if family structures and values are not intensified. They want a curriculum that will talk about gender-based violence, at schools.
