PRAKTISEER – The people of Riba Cross outside Burgersfort disrupted traffic on February 28 when they marched to the local magistrate’s court to give vent to their frustration.
The residents complained that the court and the Tubatse SAPS had handled a case involving the murder of one of its community members badly. This follows the death of Tshepo Madalane (22) on January 7.
His body was found, allegedly dumped, in a river in Lydenburg (Skhila). Some of the body parts were missing. The local community alleged he had been klled by a well-known businessman in the Riba Cross area.
They alleged the man could not accept the fact that Madalane was in a love with his daughter.
“He came to our place telling us he would make our brother disappear, and when he went missing, we just knew he was involved. He said because our family was poor, there was no way his daughter could become involved with my brother,” said Mahlatse Madalane, the victim’s sister.
She told Steelburger/Lydenburg News that her brother had last been seen on New Year’s Eve in Lydenburg, when he told them he was going to visit his grandmother. She said they were denied the right to open a case at the Tubatse SAPS as they were told, “there was no evidence that the businessman had committed a murder”.
“He did not return home the next morning, January 1, and we reported it to the Lydenburg and Tubatse SAPS but they refused to assist us. When we eventually found his body and told the police (Tubatse) about the businessman’s threats, they just ignored us and didn’t even take him in for questioning,” she alleged.
The paper spoke to two people who claimed to have heard the man’s death threats to Madalane.
“I saw him last year around October at the Madalane family – he was shouting and insulting the family, and threatened to shoot their son if he continued dating his daughter,” said the source.
After realising the police were dragging their feet, the community allegedly visited the business tycoon and questioned him about the threats he had made to the family.
The people alleged that the tycoon admitted he had threatened the family and said he was willing to pay R30 000 towards the funeral arrangements – but still denied being involved in Tshepo Madalane’s death.
The community allegedly responded by burning the man’s house and chasing him into the village. He opened a case against them, which led to the arrest of four of the Madalanes. They were charged with damage to property and arson.
The four relatives were released on R2 000 bail, the money being donated by the Riba Cross community. They will appear again on March 25 in the Praktiseer Magistrate’s Court.
Spokesman for the Tubatse SAPS, Mr Sello Movundlela, told Steelburger/ Lydenburg News the case was opened at the Lydenburg police not at Tubatse.
“The body was found in Lydenburg and not in Tubatse, and we could not deny the family the right to open a case,” he said.
The Madalanes are worried about what is going to happen – they say they are living in fear as the tycoon could pounce on them any time.
