Family and friends bid Pearl goodbye
"All I can really do for her right now is to make sure all her children are safe and that justice is served. I have also set up a bank account for her children."
An employee at KTH Clothing in the Wrenrose Centre in Melrose was recently shot dead by her husband who claimed he thought she was an intruder in their house.
The incident occurred on the 3 August. The employee Hlengiwe Msimango (29), fondly known as Pearl, leaves behind a three-year-old daughter and a son just under a year old.
Provincial police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubele confirmed that a murder charge had been laid against Msimango’s husband and the case was with the National Prosecuting Authority. Msimango’s memorial service was held in Melrose close to where she used to work. Her former employer, KT Swart said Msimango wasn’t just an employee but more of a sister to her.
“Although she was eight years younger than me, I really did look up to her,” Swart said. “She was very mature for her age. Most of my clients would come up to me and compliment me and tell me how amazing she was. She really touched people’s hearts and she was just such a kind person.”
She added that Msimango’s partner was currently in a prison in Kempton Park and there was a bail hearing set for 18 August which she and fellow employees would attend. Swart said Msimango would be buried on 14 August in Durban. “All I can really do for her right now is to make sure all her children are safe and that justice is served. I have also set up a bank account for her children.” A cousin of Msimango’s, Makhosi Zibane, described her as a very loving person, respectful and humble.
“She was a person who considered people more than herself. She was compassionate and loved her two children. She was an amazing human being. In as much as I can think that she went through the brutal death, she lived her life [and] put her entire effort in everything she did,” said Zibane.
She added that she would learn from the person Msimango was.
“Through her death, for us women especially with Women’s Month, we can learn to be open to one another and to not judge one another regarding any circumstances that a woman opens up to you about. Try by all means to be supportive and always have that sisterly love and welcome each other into our homes.”
Msimango’s best friend Alina Ndlebe said when she met Pearl in 2017 when she was working at the clothing store, they had a work-related relationship but at a later stage it became a good friendship and a sisterhood.
She added that she never had a sister so she considered Pearl as her younger sister and they ended up sharing a lot. Ndlebe said, “She met her husband and she was really in love. So, what I can say now is that I’m really sad about her passing but then I think as women we can learn more from her passing and then change the whole narrative in that we need to speak up.
“It’s time that as women we learn to take control and speak up about anything no matter how little it is. We need to do so, so as to get justice, help or anything we need. May her soul rest in peace.”
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