'We must unite and fight the scourge of GBV,' mourners told

Nyelisani Phathutshedzo Masakona, the 32-year-old mother who was brutally beaten to death two weeks ago, was laid to rest at the Damani Section graveyard in Khubvi village on Saturday. Her husband, Azwidohwi Gadisi, a prominent traditional healer, was arrested for the murder and is still in custody.

Speaking during the funeral, Advocate Robert Ramagwede called on activists against gender-based violence (GBV) to intensify their campaigns. He told the more than 6,000 mourners that the barbaric act committed was even more shocking, considering that it had happened during Women’s Month.

“In 1956, over 2,000 women from across the country marched to the Union Buildings to protest against draconian apartheid laws, which compelled African women to carry their ‘dompass’ each time they moved around the country,” he said.

Ramagwede said that women were still being treated in such demeaning ways and that the time had arrived for people to come together to fight against it at all costs.

“I am relieved that the Department of Social Development has promised to help the children as their mother is no more and their father is in custody. I will personally help the family in contacting social workers in this matter,” he said.

The spokesperson for the Masakona family, Prophet Masakona, told the mourners that they had collaborated with the Gadisi family to give their daughter a dignified funeral. “We are encouraging both families to continue working together despite what has happened, for the sake of peace and the children. We also thank members of the community, the Vhembe Pastors Forum, Philelo Funeral Undertakers, the local traditional leaders, and the media for helping us during these hard times,” he concluded.

Date:10 August 2024

By: Victor Mukwevho

Victor Mukwevho Ne-vumbani joined the Mirror during it's inception in 1990. He joined the SABC newsroom in 1995, and was known by  listeners as "A u fhedzisela ari". He was a news editor for The Tembisan Newspaper from 2007 to 2015. He rejoined the Limpopo Mirror newspaper in June 2022 as a freelance journalist.

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