By Elmon Tshikhudo and Maanda Bele.
The late Lindelani Nengovhela was finally laid to rest during a very emotional funeral service, which took place at the local Murangoni cemetery on Saturday. This followed a memorial service that was held for her at Vondo la Thavha the previous day.
Mia Muofhe (32), as she was affectionately known in social circles, was the wife of comedian Livhuwani Madadzhe, who also goes by the name of SABC Livhu. She was found dead in a water-filled ditch at the family's home at Mangondi Sidou on Saturday, 28 January.
Madadzhe (38) was arrested the same day and stands accused of her murder. He has already appeared in court and his case was postponed to 23 February. He remains in custody.
Hundreds of people from around the province, among them politicians, organisations opposing gender-based violence, traditional leaders, pastors, and artists, braved the rainy weather to give her a befitting send-off.
The MEC for Health, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, addressed the mourners at the funeral. She emphasised that the government's presence was to give support to Lindelani's family, especially her parents and three children. "They are currently going through pain that no amount of prescribed analgesics can ease; only time and our prayers can heal them," she said.
"What makes this situation worse and more painful is that it is an open secret that the couple had previous episodes of abuse and that Lindelani tried to raise them, but later withdrew those cases," she said. Ramathuba urged everyone, however, not to judge Lindelani. "Abusers in their nature manipulate their victims into believing that it won't happen again. They isolate their victims from society and make them believe everyone is jealous of them. While we appeal to everyone to give the police and law-enforcement agencies space to deal with this case, we are also aware of the fact that the suspect, who has since been arrested, is her spouse, which makes it another life lost due to GBVF," she said.
The MEC also indicated that what needed to be done was not to judge victims of GBVF, but to empower them psychologically, because if their mental state was strong, they would be able to overcome manipulation and walk away while they still could.
"Vhembe has become the capital city of GBVF in our country, and we call upon every citizen of this district to heed the call by our president and start dealing with this pandemic," Ramathuba concluded.
During the reading of the cards that accompanied the mourners' flowers, Lindelani's children's card was read aloud as well. It contained the following message:
"We saw a lot of painful things at a young age. We don't know the joy of having a mother. All we know is seeing our mother's tears. Today our mother left in poverty. Our father took her from us, he turned our home into a boxing ring. While to the public he was a wolf in a sheep skin, he acted like a saint. We don't care if we don't see him again. What is more painful is that we will be living without our mother. May your soul rest in peace, Mom. From your children."