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The former boyfriend of Lerato Kale (19), who is accused of tracking her down and strangling her, wants to be referred to a mental hospital for evaluation because he believes he cannot be held accountable for his actions.
This is a bitter pill to swallow for Tumelo Motaung, her brother, who is still haunted by the sight of her lifeless body.
He found his sister on 10 August at his grandmother’s house with her hands and legs tied together, strangled with a sleeve of the sweater she was wearing, buried under a heap of clothes.
Murdered by a former boyfriend, she had been hiding from for over a year on the eve of Women’s Day.
Martlé Keyter, MISA’s Chief Executive Officer of operations, says the Union decided to highlight the devastating impact of gender-based violence on families and communities for this year’s 16 Days of Non-Violence Against Women and Children campaign. MISA, the Motor Industry Staff Association, is the majority trade union in the retail motor industry.
MISA will not allow women like Lerato just to become another number in the fight against the gender-based violence pandemic.
“This year, the theme of UN Women for this campaign is: “UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls”. MISA calls on the private sector to assist with establishing more safe houses where women like Lerato can hide while she rebuilds their lives. Her family tried their utmost best to protect Lerato, but her killer still found her,” says Keyter.
Tumelo had high hopes that the court proceedings would bring closure, but it hurt them more. Sometimes, the accused does not attend court because he simply did not respond when his name was called out at prison.
“This is something I have seen happening to a lot of people around me, but I never thought it would happen to me, to my family, that my baby sister would be murdered so brutally.
Lerato dropped out of Grade 10 after she met her former boyfriend, who would force her not to go to school for weeks.
She finally managed to leave him a year ago, but he continued threatening her. She lived in fear.
The family relocated Lerato to her grandmother’s house, hoping she would be safe because the house had better security. He tracked her down in Tsakani, Ekurhuleni.
“Days before her murder, she was applying online. She wanted to finish school and rebuild her life. She had so many dreams.”
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.
