Mom to donate looting victim’s dress

Published Feb 26, 2015

Share

Cape Town - The blood on 18-year-old Lihle Komanisi’s blue and white checkered school dress has already been washed out.

The bullet hole in her dress will be stitched closed and her mother Bongeka will donate it to a needy pupil in the area. Lihle was shot dead on Tuesday night.

“She was an obedient girl to her mother. She was friendly and loved singing. Soon she would’ve served as a member of the SAPS.

“Now she is dead and will never wear that dress again,” her mother said yesterday.

Lihle was shot dead during the looting of foreign-owned shops in Marikana in Philippi. Another person was also shot but survived.

Police spokesman Andre Traut said although it was alleged that a foreign shopkeeper had pulled the trigger, no one had been arrested.

“The suspects fled and are yet to be arrested. The circumstances surrounding the matter are being investigated,” Traut said.

Violent attacks on foreign-owned shops continued into Wednesday, with several foreigners closing shop, opting to take their business to other parts of the peninsula.

Relatives of Lihle gathered at her home on Wednesday to discuss funeral arrangements.

The teenager’s mother said police were yet to visit her and and offer an explanation for her daughter’s death.

“We are originally from the Eastern Cape and that is where I want to bury my daughter. We are contacting family members up there to alert them,” she said.

Community Safety MEC Dan Plato said Lihle’s murder should not be used to incite further violence in the community.

“I call on foreign nationals in South Africa to respect the rule of law and report any and all threats of violence, acts of violence or incidents of crime to their nearest police station. They must not take the law into their own hands.

“If they receive an unsatisfactory response or service from the police, they can report it to the Department of Community Safety’s Policing Complaints Directorate. SMS “Report” to 35395 or phone 021 483 4332,” Plato said.

Related Topics: