Mayor calls on community to support family devastated by gender based violence incident
The Village Voice
Collins Chabane Local Municipality mayor Shadrack Maluleke on Saturday called on the community to come together and support the Bateni family that has been devastated by an incident of gender based violence.
Three people have succumbed to injuries and died while 3 others are injured after the hut they were sleeping in was allegedly doused with a flammable liquid believed to be petrol and set alight.
The incident happened on the morning of 11 December last year.
Speaking at the funeral service Precious Hlayiseko Mabasa, 23, at Plange village today, Maluleke appealed to the community to support the family.
Faneko, as Mabasa was popularly called in the village, was sleeping in the hut with her two children, her cousin Vumbhoni Maluleke and also her two children.
After the incident the six people in the house were rushed to hospital where so far three people died.
The first to succumb to injuries was Vumbhoni Maluleke’s three year old child Vunene followed by Mabasa before Mabasa also succumbed to injuries.
Both Mabasa and Maluleke were buried today in separate funeral services with Maluleke’s funeral service taking place at Mavalana in the Greater Giyani Local Municipality.
While two are still in hospital, two year old Kukwetsima Mabasa has been discharged from hospital but she is still nursing wounds on her face and she is always in pains.
The mayor said the Bateni family, as the Mabasa family is called, must not be made to feel to be left alone.
“The community can also mobilise to oppose bail when the perpetrator appears in court, and doing so peacefully is legal, “he said.
Maluleke who was accompanied ward councilor Lisbeth Mathebula also said the ward councilor would assist the family by bringing social workers to assist them with counseling.
Community leader Rufus Mashele who spoke on behalf of the family spoke about the ordeal and how it has affected the family as well as the neighbourhood.
Hosana George Muhoxi who represented Hosi Yingwani M’tititi appealed to the community to report visitors to the tribal authorities so as to avoid incidents of that nature.
The incident has plunged the community into sadness and an act of helplessness.
Twenty nine year old Edward Chauke, from Gumbani village has since appeared in court in Malamulele charged on three counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder.
