Family, friends and colleagues demand justice for Tebogo Mabunda

MBOMBELA – For friends and family of slain quantity surveyor, Tebogo Mabunda (39), the wheels of justice are turning far too slowly. Tebogo’s husband, Ulrich (41), is alleged to have shot her 10 times outside their Stonehenge home on May 14, fatally wounding her during an argument.

He then reportedly turned the gun on himself in an apparent suicide attempt. He was subsequently hospitalised and placed under police guard. Once he was discharged, he appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on June 4 for a bail application.

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His application was denied and the matter was transferred to the Mpumalanga High Court on June 25. Ulrich was then released on bail of R10 000, which left Tebogo’s family reeling.

Her uncle, Hendrick Matsane, picketed with anti-GBV demonstrators outside the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Monday and could not contain his disappointment after the case was postponed to August 31.

“This man committed a terrible crime. It is a travesty that the accused was granted bail in the first place. We treated him more like a son than a son-in-law. If they had problems, why didn’t he come speak to us?” he asked.

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For Matsane, the biggest concern is the safety of the children who have been living with an aunt since their mother’s death.

“He has not shown any remorse and we are afraid that he may harm the children,” he said.

A representative of the local ANC Women’s League chapter, Zodwa Nkosi, from Ward 15 where Tebogo resided, commented, “We are all bitterly disappointed at the high court’s decision to grant the accused bail. After today’s postponement, our frustration and anger are mounting.

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“As we speak, more than five women have been killed in Mpumalanga, Ehlanzeni and the City of Mbombela, because our voices are not being heard. The case has been postponed for a post-mortem, but Tebogo has already been buried. Do you not need a corpse to conduct such an investigation?” she commented.

Outside the court building, the demonstrators continued to protest against the loss of a friend, colleague and family member, resolving to make their presence known by putting a face to Tebogo’s name.

Nkosi added, “Similarly, today we expected the magistrate to hear us because, as South African women there seems to be no justice for the victims of GBV.”