#JusticeForLee: One year anniversary of disappearance commemorated with candlelight vigil
‘We refuse to call it a memorial, as that indicates we have closure; something we don’t have’
On 16 March, family, friends and community members came together to light candles in commemoration of the disappearance of three-year-old Liyaqat ‘Lee’ Mentoor.
This was the one year anniversary of his disappearance, and Estelle Delport, the family representative said, “Today, one year ago, Lee went missing, and, even though we had hoped that we would be celebrating today, we are standing here with more questions than answers, because Lee is still missing – and we have not received any answers at all.”
Read more here:
https://www.citizen.co.za/roodepoort-record/2019/03/18/missing-toddler-one-year-laterjusticeforlee-one-year-later-web/
She added that they refused to call the vigil a memorial. “A memorial would suggest that we have received closure, something we do not have yet. Today marks one year since we last saw Lee, but it still feels like yesterday.”
Delport said that they were extremely grateful for all the support they have received so far, “It does not matter if we have five people or 100 people joining us at the vigil, we know we have a lot of support. The vigil is also not about us, but about a mother and grandmother who have lost their son and grandson; they do not have any closure – something they need to enable them to move on with their lives.”
Palesa Mofokeng, the founder of the Queen Butterfly Foundation, also attended the vigil. Mofokeng runs a care centre for severely mentally disabled children in the area, and said, “When I read the article in the Record about the vigil, I decided that I must attend to show my support. And, even though I reside in Northcliff, I feel that I am part of this community as well. I cannot stand idly by and see that harm comes to our children.”
The community members who joined the vigil met at Heidi Botha’s (Lee’s grandmother) house in Bottlebrush Street, and walked the approximately one-and-a-half kilometres to the accused’s house, following the route of Kaylah Mentoor’s frantic run to find answers on her son’s whereabouts on that fateful day.
Once there, the group lit their candles,and prayed and sang together. After Delport delivered an emotionally charged speech, the group demanded answers by raising their voices, saying, “Where is Lee? Onke must talk!”
The vigil was concluded with a speech by Cheryl Pillay, a community activist for children’s rights, and the group then returned to the house in Bottlebrush Street.
Members of various security companies, Community Policing Forums (CPFs) as well as neighbourhood watches came out in their numbers to ensure the vigil was conducted in a safe and secure environment.
