Mmapula Letsoalo and Duduzile Masango, both from Limpopo, have become the latest names on the long list of women who have been murdered by their partners, who had been granted bail for gender-based violence crimes.
Letsoalo, 40, was gunned down by her boyfriend in Mankweng village on Sunday, hours after her lover Matome Matlakala, 47, was granted bail. She had made a criminal complaint of intimidation against him and he was arrested and charged.
On his release, Matlakala went to Letsoalo’s home and shot her, said Limpopo police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo.
Matlakala was later found dead at his home in a neighbouring village. He had allegedly committed suicide.
Masango, a 27-year-old teacher, was found dead in the bedroom of her home in Hlogotlou village on June 12. She was stabbed nine times.
Masango was killed a few weeks after she had made a rape complaint against her boyfriend, who was arrested and charged. The boyfriend was released on R500 bail on June 1.
It’s alleged that he snuck into her house at night, raped her and then stabbed her before fleeing with her vehicle.
Her body was found in a pool of blood by neighbours that had noticed that she had not reported for work for a few days. After her car was found abandoned in a veld in Suiwerfontein, they decided to search her home.
“She was found in her bedroom with only her bra on,” explained her sobbing mother, Nomgqibelo.
Masango lived alone in the house.
According to the family, everything around Masango’s house seemed to be in order when she was found.The house and gate were locked. The neighbours had to break into the house before making the gruesome discovery.
“One of the neighbours told us that the last person to be seen near Dudu’s house was her boyfriend. I knew something bad had happened to my sister when I heard that because that man has been nothing but trouble to our family,” said Masango’s brother, Victor.
The Masangos said their daughter was in an abusive relationship.
The suspected was found with the deceased’s cellphone and car keys.
He is due in court next month to face charges of murder and house robbery.
“This arrest shall not only restore the confidence of Hlogotlou community in the police, but it will also send a clear message that the loud cries of women of this country are not falling on death ears,” said provincial commissioner of police Lt-Gen Thembi Hadebe.
But for the Masango family the arrest is little cause for celebration as they prepare to bury their daughter on Saturday.
“Nothing will bring back my child. The police did their work by arresting this man for rape but the court released him on bail. What are we supposed to do when the courts fail us?” asked Masango’s teary-eyed mother.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said she needed to consult courts involved to find out how the two men were granted bail, before she could comment.
