Members of People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA) gathered outside the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court on July 11 to demand justice for the slain Prudence Nhlanhla Mphahlele.
The victim, who was 43 at the time, was allegedly murdered by her husband in their home in Boksburg in 2019, but her husband, Mzwandile Mphahlele was charged with murder in 2019 and is out on bail of R10 000, claimed she drowned herself in a bathtub.
However, the aggrieved family alleges that the postmortem results indicated she was strangled.
The placards-wielding protesters said apart from demanding justice for Prudence, they are there to draw attention to South Africa’s high rate of gender-based violence and femicide.
They were singing songs including ‘you strike a woman, you strike a rock’ while wielding placards bearing messages including: ‘We are not your women!’, ‘Justice for Prudence Mphahlele’ and others.
According to POWA communication manager, Thandiwe McCloy, every three hours a woman is murdered, and the femicide rate in South Africa is five times the international average.
The deceased’s sister, Cynthia Segabutla, said she received a call in the early hours of that day and was told to quickly come to her sister’s house, where she was found dead.
“The husband told us she drowned in a bath, which is impossible because the amount of water we found in the tub was small.
“The tragic part is that her 10-year-old son witnessed her mother’s body being removed from the house and put in the mortuary van,” said Segabutla.
Segabutla pointed out that the husband was arrested a day before the funeral was held.
“He was released after a week, but what saddens us is that he was granted bail during the 16 Days of Activism for no Violence against Women and Children campaign. Where is justice then? How does South Africa protect women when you grant bail to a man who has brutally killed someone?
“Years later, we are back here at court still waiting for justice to be served. I hope that justice is on our side today and I’d like to thank POWA for their support,” said Segabutla, who alleged that her sister was in an abusive marriage.
“We spoke to her about the situation and she told us that she had considered leaving her husband.
Mphahlele’s husband did not show up for the trial on July 12. It is believed he handed in a sick note.
Mzwandile will appear in court again on July 15 for a new trial date.
Also Read: Court in Brief
Also Read: Eight in Boksburg court today for hijacking, murder of a police officer
Also Read: Vaccine rollout: Jabs now available at City’s clinics
