​Angry residents of Tsakane in Ekurhuleni picketed outside the Tsakane Magistrate Court on Wednesday in support of slain Nomthandazo Polo who died at the hands of her abusive boyfriend.
The 33-year-old body was found mutilated and lying in a pool of blood in her home in Geluksdal last month, allegedly chopped in pieces with a grinder.

The mother of the deceased, Senzeni Ngoma has pleaded with the judiciary for a stricter sentence, saying that murderers have no place in society.

“As a family, we are not happy with the slow pace of court proceedings, and the fact that the perpetrator is unable to produce evidence in a form of the weaponry he used to kill our daughter. We would like the justice system to be strict on this case, so we can find healing and closure, the community is devastated,” said Ngoma.

“What breaks my heart is that the perpetrator doesn’t show any remorse, he is enjoying life like someone who just killed a dog. I took him as a son and gave him the love of a mother. He cheated and had children outside their relationship but in the end, saw it befitting that my child was worthless and deserved to die. With that, I want him to rot in jail,” she added.

The Gauteng Department of Social Development has dispatched a team of social workers to assist the Polo family with psychosocial support.

Speaking outside the Tsakane Magistrate Court, Chief Director and founder of the Gauteng Department of Social Development Men’s Forum, Bongani Ngomane said it was important to address the challenges faced by men and boy children in society.

“Ours is to create awareness against the brutal killing of women and children in our communities. We wanted the community of Tsakane to know that if you commit gender-based violence and femicide or any form of crime, the results will be harsh, and you will serve a prison sentence.”

“Men and boys must know that violence is not a solution to any problem in life,” said Ngomane.

Community leader, activist, and Chairperson of One Strong Voice Foundation, Brian Sithole added, “We condemn such acts of violence in our society, and we are calling upon the state to speed up the process of investigation because we all know that justice delayed, is justice denied”.

We remain fully behind the family and we hope that we will get positive feedback moving forward. It is very much important that this matter gets to be concluded within a record time and that the investigators will work tirelessly to make sure that justice prevails as a matter of urgency.”

The perpetrator has been denied bail and will appear in Tsakane Magistrate Court on 21 June 2023.