Real men don’t abuse

Silas Nduvheni

LIMPOPO – THE Limpopo Men’s Forum (Munna Ndi Nnyi) chairperson, Bardwell Mufunwaini, has cautioned women to part ways with abusive spouses rather than being bound by tradition to stay until death parts them.

Mufunwaini addressed thousands of mourners on Tuesday, who attended the funeral of the two children, Munyai Thinawanga (6) and Justice Thagwana (2) who were brutally murdered last Wednesday allegedly by their stepfather during a family feud in Makonde near Thohoyandou.

Mufunwaini further said men should swallow their pride and come up with a way to peacefully resolve domestic problems. “Residents of Makonde must develop street committees to help curb crimes in the communities as soon as they occur,” Mufunwaini said.

Thulamela mayor, Grace Mahosi, urged men to protect women and children so that the killing of women and children would be reduced or came to an end.

“We are worried that more women and children are abused by men who should be the ones to protect them. We are deeply saddened about the killings of the two children by the man who should have taken care of them,” Mahosi said.

Mahosi further said government was doing its best to come up with and implement laws and policies that would help to address all forms of women and child abuse.

“But government cannot do all the work without the help of communities and organisations that are active in fighting all forms of women and child abuse,” she explained.

“We have also found that alcohol and drug abuse play a large role in encouraging women and children abuse. We want to reduce the number of alcohol outlets that are mushrooming in our communities because we suspect they are the root cause of all evils,” Mahosi said.

According to provincial police spokesperson, Col Ronél Otto, the murders of the two young children last week allegedly occurred after a bitter argument between the suspect, Prince Vele Budeli (46) and the children’s mother, Ndidzulafhi Thagwana. As she ran down the street looking for protection against him, the children’s stepfather allegedly beat the children to death with a thick wooden stick.

Otto said the suspect fled shortly after the incident and had not been apprehended as yet.

Family spokesperson, Mmbengeni Thagwana, said the family was deeply shocked and saddened by the children’s deaths. “Someone who has an evil mind decided to cut their lives short,” he said sadly.

Acting chief of Makonde village, Tshilidzi Ravhura, said he was concerned over the escalation of the killing of women and children. He said such incidents were unnecessary and urged people to desist from such behaviour.

“Those who are still abusing women and children are not real residents of this village, they belong somewhere else because the Makonde community has good morals,” said Ravhura.

Limpopo man still sought after beating children to death with knobkerrie