Johannesburg - Prince Mohube would have turned 21 on Wednesday.
To mark his coming of age, his mother had planned to buy a birthday cake and visit his grave after sharing the cake with Prince’s siblings.
But instead, Jeanette Mohube spent the day in tears – the revocation of Molemo “Jub Jub” Maarohanye and Themba Tshabalala’s murder conviction by the High Court in Joburg reopening wounds.
Prince was one of the four schoolboys killed by the two men in a drug-fuelled drag racing accident in March 2010.
“We had accepted the 20 years, but now this? This is painful, too painful. We had healed. We had learnt to carry on living. Now what?
“How do we carry on knowing people responsible for our children’s (deaths) could be out any day… living life to the fullest… enjoying life with their families?” said Mohube.
Tears welled up when she recounted a taxi trip from her house to the Joburg CBD on Wednesday to buy birthday cake.
“Today I woke up very happy. October 8… the day my son was to turn 21. I would have thrown a big birthday bash for him – now this.
“No one told us they’ll be in court today. I bumped into someone and they asked me why I was not in court. I was stunned. I returned home immediately. I’m too angry.
“Imagine if he gets released on parole… How are we to feel? I don’t want to lie to you… should I just meet him walking in the street… God help me.”
She recounted a scene at The Glen shopping mall when she bumped into the hip-hop star following his release on bail.
“Security had to restrain me. I chased after him and he ran… He just ran for his life while I chased after him screaming,” said Mohube.
Equally enraged by Wednesday’s ruling was Mameetse Masemola, Phomello’s mother.
“My son would be a second-year university student now. I really don’t care much about what happens because it appears they (Maarohanye and Tshabalala) are more important than our dead children. What action can we take? Who are we? No one cares.”
Two boys, Frank Mlambo and Fumani Mushwana, survived the crash, but were left severely injured.
Frank’s visibly enraged mother Martha could only say: “It doesn’t matter (what happened in court). We are nothing, so what matters is that Jub Jub and his family are happy.”
Fumani’s father Joel would “not allow journalists to talk to my son”.
The first thing he said when The Star arrived at his home was “Don’t ask me how I feel”.
The Star