12-year-old girl raped and strangled to death in Mapetla
Before the body was found, the family of the victim had been searching for her and reported her missing.
Found half-naked with her skirt down to her knees and strangled with a shoelace around her neck – is how the family of 12-year-old Lebohang Asanda Tsotetsi detailed the gruesome scene where she was found a week ago, in Maptela.
Her lifeless body was discovered on August 9, a few meters from her home after she was reported missing the night before.
Today, exactly a week since her tragic death, the Maptela community will hold a memorial service for the Grade 7 learner.
Soweto Urban visited the grieving family who recalled the night of her disappearance. According to the family, she was last seen when her mother sent her to a nearby shop at around 6:30 p.m.
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The family began frantically searching for her and when they approached the shop where she was last seen, they learned that she (Lebohang) came but left when the card declined.
Family relative, Portia Mohoanyane claims that the mother and her partner who had gone to Moroka Police station just after midnight were turned away and told she could only file a missing person’s case after 24 hours.
“They returned and in the morning, alerted the community group when a message saying a body of a girl fitting the description had been discovered near the Merafe Hostel was shared,” recalled Mohoanyane.
“When I got to the scene, I requested to be shown her body. I could see she was visibly crying.
“She had foam coming from her mouth and had been strangled with the shoelace from the takkies she was wearing. She was also half naked from her waist down and said to have been raped.”
She said it was a difficult time for the family and pleaded for the public to assist in burying young Tsotetsi, citing the mother of the child was unemployed.
“The family is not coping, the mother is also not coping and we could use all the help. I’ve always seen these things happening to other families but never did I think that some day I’d have to stand and watch one of my mine in that state- surrounded by the community looking on at the horrific scene.
‘We live in a cruel world and we know the justice system of our country is flawed, but we remain hopeful that the wheels of justice will turn.”
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Mbali Kubheka for Soweto Parliament in Ward 50 called on the law to apprehend the perpetrators.
“We are deeply troubled by what has happened in our community. It has become difficult to even celebrate our month as women because time and time again, we hear such stories where a female has been raped or killed.
“Where is the conscious of men who are killing kids and women?
“This is happening while we are faced with the killing of Mpho, we are broken. We want the law to take its course.”
SAPS Lieutenant Colonel Mawela Masondo confirmed that a case of murder has been opened at Moroka Police Station and police have launched a manhunt for the suspect.
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“Police are appealing to anyone who might have information that can help in the investigation or assist with the apprehension of the suspect to contact their nearest police station.”
