Murdered Emfuleni accountant was due to graduate from university in June

The Emfuleni local municipality official whose murder at the end of March was captured on CCTV was due to graduate from university in June.

According to Martha Mani Rantsofu’s brother, Tsotang, the 39-year-old was waiting to celebrate an honours degree in public relations from Unisa.

“Now we have to write to the institution to inform them she has passed, and we have to go and fetch her qualification without her,” said Tsotang.

Rantsofu, an acting accountant, was gunned down on March 30 in Vanderbijlpark. The family has confirmed to Sowetan that her case will be investigated by the political killings task team (PKTT).

A video circulating online captured 39-year-old Rantsofu’s last moments. Her killer approaches her, shoots her, and as she falls, he pumps more bullets into her head at close range and then flees the scene.

Gauteng police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said Rantsofu was at a local tyre shop waiting for a puncture to be fixed when an unknown man fired several shots at her before fleeing the scene.

While Nevhuhulwi confirmed the docket would be investigated by the PKTT, she said the motive for the murder was still unknown.

Tsotang has asked anyone with information regarding the gunman to come forward and contact the police. “The relevant people should be arrested and tell us exactly what they were trying to hide [by killing her],” he said.

Rantsofu had worked as a senior clerk at the municipality’s revenue collection department and was recently promoted to acting accountant.

Tsotang said his sister loved her work and would often spend weekends at the office.

The municipality’s finance MMC, Hassan Mako, agreed: “Mani was a dedicated public servant. I’m urging law enforcement to act swiftly on this matter. Justice must be served.”

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Tsotang told Sowetan they were “still in the dark” as to what could have led to the murder.

“The PKTT told us they investigated cases related to political killings,“ said Tsotang. ”I think what raised a red flag was that she was an employee of the Emfuleni local municipality.”

The family said before her death, Rantsofu had been involved in a legal battle with a property developer. She was an applicant in the matter, which, according to the family, was set down for trial on April 9.

Tsotang said he had received a call just after 7pm on the day of the murder to go to an address in Vanderbiljpark.

The caller, his sister’s friend, did not say why, and Tsotang thought his sister may have been hospitalised.

However, he arrived to a scene of horror. “I saw a shoe and her leg ... she was already covered. [It was] the shock of my life. I felt like my heart was outside my body and someone had stabbed it with a knife.

“I couldn’t believe it ... seeing her face and lifeless body really killed me. My heart felt rage. I never thought this thing could happen to my sister. It was just not a case of scaring her ... [the shooter] was sent to make sure she did not see the sun the next morning,” said Tsotang.

Sowetan