Youth Day was a sad occasion for the family of slain 25-year-old Naledi Phangindawo as she was laid to rest at Mossel Bay, in Cape Town. Hers is one of numerous gruesome murders these past few weeks in the Western Cape, which once again shed light on the high rate of gender-based violence.
Other victims include 36-year-old Sibongiseni Gabada from Khayelitsha, 27-year-old Altecia Kortjie and her seven-year-old daughter Raynecia from Belhar.
In the video below, Naledi Phangindawo’s family seeks justice following her murder:
Phangindawo’s life was tragically cut short last weekend when she was allegedly hacked to death with an axe and a knife by her ex-boyfriend.
Naledi Phangindawo (25) has been laid to rest in Mossel Bay today. She was hacked to death with an axe and a knife allegedly by her ex-boyfriend last week. She is survived by 3 children (aged 6, 4 and 2) and her parents #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/bKmMLKOKgN
— Sphiwe Hobasi (@MrCow_man) June 16, 2020
Her family is struggling to deal with the loss.
“There’s not much I’m going to say besides saying that Naledi was stabbed 28 times and died,” her brother Mzwandile Phangindawo said.
The community came out in numbers to support the grieving family. Her friend Vuyolwethu Mfumbe says she spoke out against gender-based violence.
“We know under lockdown Level 3, we’re not supposed to gather in numbers, but we can’t keep quiet. We are here to say no to gender-based violence.”
Her other friend Owena Smith says South African men are broken.
“We believe that the first step is to admit that you are broken. As South African men, we are broken from inside so that is why there’s this gender-based violence.”
The accused in Phangindawo’s murder, 34-year old-Mlondolozi Ntlangulela, is expected to apply for bail in the Mossel Bay Magistrate’s Court this week.
