Slain deputy principal Ngendane described as ‘humble, hard working, and hands-on’

Phomolong Secondary School pupils are still whispering about “angry pupils” who allegedly blamed deputy principal Thembisile Ngendane after failing their matric last year.

Ngendane was gunned down execution-style on Friday afternoon by reportedly three people outside the school gates. Her cousin, Nosanele Mbeka, said there were a lot of people who depended on Ngendane.

“That is what hurts most. We buried my brother earlier this month and she was there, handson, and within 14 days she no more. It is like a dream,” she said.

Mbeka described Ngendane as a warrior and woman of prayer.

“When you see those bullets on her head, it was sad, it was bad.” Mbeka said when she saw Ngendane at her brother’s funeral, she did not know it would be the last time. “If we knew it would be the last time, I would beg her not to die now, but it’s life, we are going to die,” she said.

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Ngendane’s sister-in-law, Pinky Mapolo, described her as a humble, hard-working and a hands-on person.

“The list is endless, she was everything to us; she was like a mother figure to me,” she said. Mapolo said Ngendane was always ready to help with her apron on. “We don’t know what the motive was, it makes us sad because she never had enemies,” she said.

Ngendane leaves behind her husband and two children, aged 18 and 25 years old. No funeral arrangements have been finalised. The crime scene at the school was turned into a memorial where pupils placed bunches of flowers, letters and candles.

“I’m very sorry to come to speak to you about death and not matric marks,” Gauteng MEC for education Panyaza Lesufi said during a visit to the school. “Now a death certificate and not a matric certificate…”

The pupils cheered and waved placards and white balloons with JusticeForMamNgedane written on them during the minister’s tribute. Grade 12 pupil Praise Mazibuko was sad.

“She was my favourite teacher, she was my geography teacher in Grade 9,” he said.

Mazibuko said Ngendane was both kind and funny. Some pupils, who did not want to be identified, said they were
scared after the shooting at the school gate and added some pupils blamed Ngendane for failing matric. Across the school, residents, who were also too scared to reveal their identities, said this was not the first shooting in the area the past few months.

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“This is very bad. I’m also scared because last December there was a shooting down the road and another one three blocks away,” one resident said.

“Things happen here. It seems people are coming here to kill other people. Even the previous shootings victims didn’t stay around here,” he added.

Gauteng police spokesperson Captain Mavela Masondo said no arrests have been made yet.

“The investigation is underway and police are still searching for the suspects. The motive for the killing cannot be confirmed at this stage,” Masondo said.