A 26-year-old woman, who was allegedly murdered by her ex-boyfriend, has been laid to rest at Thaga-di-Ipelayanga, near Hartswater, in the Northern Cape. Botshelo Motsomi was bludgeoned with a panga despite having a protection order against her alleged killer, Elvis Malebogo.
Motsomi was killed in her shack in Utlwanang Informal settlement last Sunday.
In the video below, Motsomi’s family is left reeling following her murder:
It was an emotional day for Motsomi’s grief-stricken family members, who could not hold back their tears as they said their final goodbyes.
Her distraught father Vuyani Zwelinjani has appealed to magistrates to expedite gender-based violence cases and impose harsher sentences on perpetrators.
“What I’m asking is for the Magistrate to also come to the party because the investigator and the police have done their best to arrest and investigating officer has done his best as I’m told. So I’m appealing to the magistrate now please come to the party; we don’t want this guy to get bail, we don’t want the case to go for long; this man must be sentenced as soon as possible.”
Motsomi joined the long list of women across the country who lost their lives at the hands of men.
Samuel Matholengwe from the Hartswater Police Community Forum says people must unite to stop the scourge.
“It is a shock because we did not expect this; especially from us. We are intending to make sure that this is not going to repeat itself.”
Eunice Bojosi from the ANC Women’s League says only communities can put a stop to the violence against women.
“We are saying to the community let’s join hands. Already as the Women’s League, we’ve formed the committees that are called the Molo Makhelwane; know your neighbourhood.”
Motsomi leaves behind three young children and her parents.
In the video below, Botshelo Motsomi is laid to rest:
