The Nzhelele community is in shock after a 47-year-old woman, Sylvia Pandelani, was allegedly killed by her 48-year-old boyfriend, Emmanuel Tshamaano, at Makatu village on Monday, 3 November. Her 16-year-old daughter was also seriously injured in the attack.
On Monday night, angry community members reportedly torched the suspect's five-room house and held a gathering, deciding to banish him from the village before his arrest. The suspect allegedly went on the run.
According to the Limpopo police, Tshamaano had allegedly forced his way into Pandelani's home while she and her daughters were asleep. The teenager woke to her younger sister's screams and found her mother being attacked. When she tried to intervene, she was also stabbed multiple times.
The police arrived to find Pandelani dead, with multiple stab wounds. Her daughter was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The suspect was arrested the following day in Biaba, Makhado, during a joint operation by Siloam detectives and the Makhado police, following a tip-off. He appeared in the Dzanani Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, 5 November, in connection with the murder and attempted murder. Investigations revealed that he is a repeat offender.
Acting Limpopo provincial police commissioner Maj-Gen Jan Scheepers condemned the attack, describing it as "another tragic reminder of the scourge of gender-based violence in our communities."
Tshinyadzo Madou of the Thohoyandou-Nzhelele Women's Support Group said the incident had left the community heartbroken.
"The women of Nzhelele are saddened by this tragic event. We have tried sitting down with men to discuss the issue of gender-based violence, and it hurts that it's still continuing. This woman was killed ruthlessly and has left her children alone — the youngest is only four years old. As the support group, we will follow this case until we find justice," Madou said.
Ward 33 councillor Khuliso Mukheli said the children were traumatised after witnessing their mother's killing. "We have sent social workers to assist the children and are working with the Department of Social Development to ensure they receive foster-care grants. We are just a few weeks away from the 16 Days of Activism, and I would like to encourage men to stop gender-based violence," Mukheli said.