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The family of Amelia Mazivila (24) suffered a double blow after her sister, Leah Mkhabela, lost her arm and could no longer work.
“I lost my arm whilst working on a jigsaw at work because I was not concentrating. My mind keeps drifting away, thinking about who would hate my sunshine sister so much as to kill her in such an inhumane manner.
“It is very difficult not to think about the pain Amelia suffered after she was made to drink poison after being stabbed three times. To make things worse, the family is getting no feedback from the South African Police Service (SAPS) and it has been months since she died on 2 June 2023,” says Leah.
Amelia told her family she was going to a nearby shopping centre. She was attacked and robbed at a sports ground near Extension 8 in Tsakane, east of Johannesburg, while on her way home.
According to her the family simply can’t cope with the fact that no arrests have been made.
“Amelia was a friendly, kind and helpful person. She was a healthy young woman who cared for her four year old son. Now he is left without a mother. Why? We simply don’t know why,” says Leah.
The SAPS told the family that it would take up to two years to get the results of what was the poison given to Amelia that caused her death.
“I want those men to rot in jail. I have this rage in me and will not rest until I see them behind bars. But nothing is happening and the police are failing us. This case is not receiving the attention that it should,” says Leah.
MISA, the Motor Industry Staff Association, decided to dedicate its annual 16-Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign by sharing the hardship that families like Amelia’s suffer at the hands of the criminal justice system.
This comes after Police Minister Bheki Cele emphasised that the high levels of violence continues to show that many women and children are not safe near individuals they know and trust.
According to the second-quarter national crime statistics that were released by Cele, of the 10,516 rapes reported between 1 July and 30 September 2023, at least 4,726 occurred either at the victim’s house or at the home of the perpetrator, who is known to the victim, such as a family member, a friend or a neighbour.
ISSUED BY MOTOR INDUSTRY STAFF ASSOCIATION (MISA)
- As part of our contribution to the 16 days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children Campaign (25 November to 10 December 2023) PE Express will be publishing the stories of women and were victims of violence. The 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children Campaign is a United Nations campaign, which is held annually from 25 November (International Day for No Violence Against Women) to 10 December (International Human Rights Day). According to www.gov.za this year marks the 25th anniversary since South Africa initiated the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign. The 16 Days campaign focuses on raising awareness to the devastating impact that gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) has on women and children, and the social fabric of our society. The campaign was launched on 25 November 2023, in Mpumalanga Province, and the theme for the 16 Days of Activism Campaign for 2023 is: “Accelerating actions to end gender-based violence & femicide: leaving no one behind”. The sub-theme for this year is: “Safe access for women to clean water: a basic human right”. The theme speaks to the importance of ensuring an all-society and multi-faceted approach to fight GBVF. The sub-theme seeks to address barriers women face in safely accessing water and sanitation in South Africa.
