UPDATE: Friends line up to honour Mbombela woman killed in domestic dispute
A club member said that gender-based violence was a pandemic on its own which needs to be eradicated from our society.
MBOMBELA – The Lowveld running fraternity was dealt a huge blow over the weekend with the shooting death of a well-known runner, allegedly at the hands of her husband.
To honour her memory, the #TotalShutdown Movement against gender-based violence and the Bella’s Athletics Club (BAC) lined the R40 leading to her residence today.
The runners followed the route from Twalakule Funeral Parlour to the Crossing traffic lights, along Enos Mabuza Drive and on to Percy Fitzpatrick Drive before reaching the slain runner’s home in Stonehenge.
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Club member Tom Silinda said, “This is a major blow to all of us at the club who have come to know her over the years.
“We try and tackle any issues our members face through our passion for running. She was a part of us and her shocking death has affected us all.
“Today we are here to honour her and send a clear message against gender-based violence. We are saying ‘no’ to this scourge. It should not happen again. Let us all stand up and say ‘no’ to gender-based violence.”
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Xandra Malapane is part of the #TotalShutdown movement who said the biggest fear since the lockdown started was that women would be trapped at home with abusive partners.
“We were afraid that gender-based violence would increase during the lockdown and this latest tragedy confirmed our worst fears,” Malapane said.
Another BAC member, Mzikazi Mphantsha, expressed her sorrow, saying, “I am heartbroken. We never thought for a moment that we would lose one of our own to gender-based violence. This is a pandemic on its own that needs to be eradicated completely from the South African landscape.”
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Team captain, Tumelo Moganedi, questioned why men turn on their partners. “As men, why do we take out our frustrations on women? As a club, we did not expect this to happen, especially during the lockdown period, which is an opportunity for partners and families to bond.
“We cannot continue making women victims in our homes,” Moganedi said.
A memorial service will be held at the victim’s residence next Tuesday, and the funeral will be held at her family home in Xanthia, Bushbuckridge, on Thursday at 06:30.
