Pule, a painter, whom the family described as a handyman and the only male figure in the house, was stabbed to death not far from his home at about 17:00 on Sunday. Matsietse Radebe, his 29-year-old niece says, ‘We are still shocked and distraught, he left the house and, five minutes later, we were called to the scene where he was lying dead in the street,’ she said.

The Ikageng police spokesperson, Const. Kelebogile Trom confirmed the incident and says a murder case has been opened. ‘The police were called to the scene at about 19:00 and found a group of community members and the victim lying face-up on the ground. According to one of the witnesses, a fight broke out between him and the 34-year-old accused, who was also arrested at the scene,’ said Trom.

Matsietse added that the family has lost someone who enjoyed assisting the family by fixing leaking pipes and mowing the lawn… ‘He was our handyman,’ she said. ‘What is even more painful is that he left behind his very sick, 72-year-old mother,’ she said.

Matsietse described her uncle as someone who loved joking around. ‘Whenever he was around, there was laughter. He would normally mimic soccer commentators and everyone would marvel at how well he did it,’ she said.

Matsietse consoles herself with the thought that, just maybe, it was his time to leave the earth. ‘We have accepted it. We never know how we are going to die. I don’t know about the rest of the family but I, personally, have forgiven the accused’, she said. Pule’s funeral was held last Saturday in Ext. 6 at 07:00.