SEBOKENG – A somber feeling hung over Koinonia Bible Church in Sebokeng when dozens of friends, family, colleagues, and pupils gathered to bid farewell to Palesa Mofokeng over the weekend.
The 33-year-old Life Orientation teacher at Riverside Secondary School was tragically murdered in Vanderbijlpark on Friday, April 05.
This comes after Mofokeng’s bloody killing on her morning to work turned into a nightmare when she was ambushed by armed men who shot her multiple times.
The assailant’s bullets sent her vehicle bowling into a ditch, where her life was cut short.
According to eyewitnesses and preliminary investigations, Mofokeng was waiting at a traffic light near the entrance of Curro Private School on Hendrik van Eck Boulevard when a blue Honda FRV pulled up alongside her.
From the rear window of her Nissan NP200, shots rang out, leaving her wounded.
Following the shooting, police launched a 72-hour manhunt, resulting in the arrest of four suspects.
Among those arrested was Mofokeng’s ex-husband, Tumelo Ntholeng (34), a medical doctor attached to an international medical NGO.
Speaking during the service, speaker after speaker shared stories and heartfelt memories for the teacher who was described as a flower.
Tributes made by those who shared time with Mofokeng painted a vivid picture of a dedicated educator whose passion for teaching and love for her students left a permanent mark.
Family representative Buti Mathibela echoed the same notion that the child of the deceased fails to sleep at night.
“It has been nothing but sad and hard for our family. Her daughter [Mofokeng’s four-year-old] has not been sleeping. It’s sad that the child no longer has a mother,” he said.
Mama Mahlangu said “When I received a call, I was preaching at a certain school. She was a true flower, passionate about what she was doing and beautiful inside out.”
Best friend and colleague, Sibongile Makhananise said Mofokeng was a strong individual.
As the service drew to a close Mofokeng was laid to rest at Unitas Park Cemetery.
