Speaker of Council remembers Tshegofatso Pule
Pule’s murder generated public outcry at the high rate of gender-based violence and femicide in South Africa.
The Speaker of Council in the City of Johannesburg, Cllr Colleen Makhubele continued her Women’s Month celebrations last week.
She visited the site where 28-year-old Tshegofatso Pule was found shot in the chest and hanging from a tree at Durban Deep mine dump in Roodepoort. Pule was eight months pregnant at the time.
Her boyfriend, Ntuthuko Shoba was convicted of conspiracy to murder.
Pule’s murder generated public outcry at the high rate of gender-based violence and femicide in South Africa.
ALSO READ: A visit to a tree that slain Tshegofatso Pule’s body was found hanging on
Cllr Makhubele and Pule’s family laid a wreath and lit candles under a tree where she was murdered.
Some of the family members could not hold back the tears as the memories flooded their minds as they saw the tree.
Tshegofatso’s uncle said it was difficult for them to come to the site but they decided to honour the Speaker’s invitation and convinced themselves that this may be a way to get the closure they are still battling to find.
Addressing Pule’s family, Cllr Makhubele said, “My office has started a civic organisation programme and I am extending an invitation to join us as we go to high schools, universities, colleges and various communities to break the chain of GBV and make people understand the pain that comes with this scourge. We want to bring back the social order that we have lost as a City and as a country.”
Later, Cllr Makhubele met the Gauteng Provincial Police Commissioner, Lt Gen Elias Mawela who was leading a police operation at a mine dump close to Braamfischer in Soweto.
ALSO READ: ‘It’s been an emotional journey’ Pule’s family
Cllr Makhubele said more had to be done to ensure the safety of communities that live near mine dumps.
“We have heard the cries of the people in Riverlea and we have heard cries of the people in Roodepoort. It is a collective responsibility to see how best we can ensure that communities are protected from these illegal mining activities and the dangers that come with them. I applaud you for assisting to identity and dismantle the zama zama operations in the area.”
