A 19-year-old young mother was beaten to death, allegedly doused with acid, and burned in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Lydia Motshoane, who was still in school, was killed in what her family says was a mob justice killing. The police, however, denied this and are investigating a case of murder.

Horrific videos seen by Pretoria Rekord show Motshoane being beaten with blunt objects by several individuals.

The group can be heard asking her why she is ‘marking’ them, claiming that they can’t even walk freely at night.

Family spokesperson and Motshoane’s eldest sister Maria Ntsele says her family is disturbed by her sister’s murder.

“It’s very hard to figure out what happened. No one is willing to tell us,” she told the publication.

The incident occurred at about 02:00 yesterday, and Ntsele said she only heard about it at 08:00.

“I went to the scene immediately. When I got there, her body was still on the scene. I stayed there while we waited for the ambulance and for more police officers to arrive. It was a mob justice attack, we were told.

“One of the guys that I spoke to says my sister was with the wrong guys.

“She was caught with one of these guys, who apparently escaped. She couldn’t escape and got a beating,” the sister claims.

“They also poured acid on her and burned her. I don’t know what to do. No one is willing to talk. No one wants to tell us what happened. I want someone to tell us what happened.”

Motshoane leaves behind her eight siblings, mother, and two children, aged two and three.

“I want people to know that she was still a child, and she had kids. She went through a lot. Why pour acid on this child? She didn’t deserve to be beaten the way she was. People were passing her as if she were an animal,” she added.

“I wish people could start acting respectfully. Treat someone else’s child as if they were yours. We deal with gender-based violence a lot, and we still get people who think it is okay to beat someone like this.

“It isn’t going to stop with my sister.”

Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi says that police are investigating a ‘case of murder following the discovery of a woman’s body yesterday’.

“It seems like the victim was walking on Umhlume Street [in Olievenhoutbosch in Pretoria] when she was attacked by unknown suspects. The victim had head injuries and was also burned.

“The circumstances surrounding the incident are unknown at this stage, and the police investigation continues.”