More than 5 000 members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), members of the Vhembe United Group (comprising members from different political parties, churches and GBV activists) and family members of the murdered Livhuwani Rananga converged at Matangari village, where she was laid to rest on Sunday afternoon (7 May).
Rananga, who was an EFF member, mysteriously disappeared on 3 December last year. Ten days later, her body was found dumped on the banks of the Mudaswali River. The gruesome discovery was made after her alleged killer, Jutas Munyai, allegedly went to a Zimbabwean prophet in Makonde village and asked for muti to cleanse himself as he had carried the body of a dead person. The prophet notified the police, who arrested the suspect at the prophet's house. The suspect then took the police to the scene where he had hidden the body. He allegedly told the police that he had beaten Livhuwani Rananga to death with his fists.
Addressing mourners during the funeral service on Sunday, the EFF's regional chairperson, advocate TP Matodzi. called on the National Prosecuting Authority to do justice to the peace-loving citizens of this country. "We demand justice for the late Livhuwani Rananga. It is surprising that people who are committing heinous crimes, like killing innocent women, are given bail in this country. The EFF and members of this community are law-abiding citizens, but we are not prepared to meet women killers enjoying themselves in our streets. If the people start to lose faith in the justice system, something bad is going to happen. We demand that the suspect in this case is denied bail," he said.
He added that the government had spent millions to bring Thabo Bester (known as the Facebook rapist) back from Tanzania but could not spend a mere R3 700 for a DNA test on the deceased. "We are burying her after more than four months in the mortuary, waiting for the post-mortem, just because [the] government does not care about its citizens," he said.
The spokesperson for the Vhembe United Group, Ms Mulatedzi Ramaano, called for a halt to the killing of women and children, saying they would leave no stone unturned in making sure that Livhuwani Rananga received justice.
A very emotional moment arose when Rananga's only child, Ankonisaho Rananga, said her goodbyes to her mother. Reading the letter she had written to Rananga, she said: "Mama, why did you leave me when I am still so young? I call on your spirit to wake up and fight, Mama. I am now an orphan because of those who killed you, Mama. I say, fight for justice, Mama."