When the executive mayor, Kgotso Khumalo was arrested during the political unrest in the country in 1986, he left his wife, Malebitso Khumalo, heavily pregnant with their first child, Mike Maimane.
Last Saturday, the only son among the four Khumalo children was brutally murdered in Ext. 11. Crime patrollers discovered his body in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Col. Pelenomi Makau, NW SAPS spokesperson, says the 30-year-old was probably stabbed to death on Saturday evening but the motive of the murder is unknown. No one has been arrested at this stage.
Mrs Khumalo says her cousin broke the news to her at 05:00 on Sunday, after hearing about it from a police relative who was at the scene of the crime.
‘When my cousin called, it seemed as though Mike had only been wounded. Later on, I went to the clinic and the hospital to search for him, and could not find him,’ she said.
When the relatives went to the mortuary later, they told Mrs Khumalo that her son was dead.
‘I was shattered. Everyone in the house was hysterical and crying,’ she said. ‘Before I heard the tragic news, I did not panic; I even told everyone not to stress because he could walk in at any time.’
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Mrs Khumalo last saw her son a few hours before the incident. ‘I told him it was getting dark and he should not leave too late to go and see his girlfriend in Ext. 11.
‘He left at 19:00. I don’t know what route he took, whether he went straight there or went somewhere else first,’ she said.
How they will always remember him
The mayor described his son as a likeable person with a good sense of humour. ‘He lived a simple life and did not want to be associated with politics or the glamour and image that came with being the son of a mayor. When I used to take him to school, he did not want people to know who he was because he was afraid that they would start calling him a ‘cheese boy’, he said.
Mrs Khumalo said her son had a way of touching lives. ‘Small children and ladies loved him so much,’ she said.
‘The family used to call him Johnnie Walker because he liked to walk long distances. Even if we gave him money for transport, he would rather walk and save the money,’ she said.
Mike completed his diploma in TV production at Nemisa (National Electronic Media Institute of SA) and he went on to produce a documentary with his friends,’ said the mayor.
Condolences
The news of his death reverberated through North West and prominent people in the political sector have sent their condolences to the Khumalo family.
The NW premier, Supra Mahumapelo has also conveyed a message of condolence to the Maimane and Khumalo families. ‘May the Almighty give them strength during this difficult time,’ he said. Speaking on behalf of the DA, the caucus leader, Chris Landsberg, also called upon the police to continue with the investigation to ensure that the culprits are brought to justice.
Itumeleng Mosala, the ANC regional chairperson, added that ‘we have noted how crime has recently begun to engulf our communities and therefore call on all structures of our movement to work hand in hand with the SAPS to root out crime in our communities’.
Mike’s funeral service will be held at the Madiba banquet halls at 07:00 to 10:00 on Saturday.
He leaves behind his parents and three younger sisters, Tumi, Thuli, and Lusanda.
