Sharpeville. – Bobo Machobane (38) came home from the night shift to find her 19-year-old son, Tshegofatso Machobane deceased after he allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself.
The incident happened in the early hours of Monday morning, 17 July at Putswastene Section.
Speaking to Sedibeng Ster, Bobo said that usually when she comes home from the night shift, her son opens for her but this morning was different. She knocked on the door and his bedroom window but he still did not open.
“We stay with my brother, he is the one who opened for me instead. I then went to my son’s bedroom, and that’s when I found him. I am shocked and deeply hurt because my son never showed any signs of wanting to kill himself. He was suppose to go to school today.” Bobo stated.
The matric pupil was supposed to go and visit his aunt in Vanderbijlpark on Sunday afternoon.
“I called his aunt to check whether he had arrived late last night but she said he was not with her. This morning around 02:00 I saw that he was online. I texted him to find out where he was. He told me he is home. He never showed any signs that anything was bothering him. He is my only child and he was everything to me. I don’t know what is going to happen to me.”
Bobo described her son as humble, prayerful, and respectful.
His aunt Ntaoleng Modibane said she sent him a code that he was supposed to use when he came into her complex but he later told her that he had gone back home.
“We were going to see each other today but I was woken up by a call alerting me of his death. I am deeply hurt by what he did. Sometimes kids do things without thinking about the consequences or the effects their actions have on their parents. I took him as my son although he is my brother’s child. I am deeply saddened by what he did.”
Modibane said they had high hopes for Tshegofatso’s future as they were already making plans for him to get a solid tertiary education.
“I would urge all parents to be vigilant. Maybe our kids need us to be more open because a lot is going on out there. Let us give them an ear and try to get them to open up,” she said.
Police were on the scene for further investigation.
