Johannesburg - A year after her child was murdered, Philiswa Ratazayo is still struggling to come to terms with the fact that her daughter died as part of a satanic ritual.
Chwayita Ratazayo, 15, was a provincial swimmer, with dreams of representing South Africa in the next Olympics.
But Chwayita and her friend, Thandeka Moganetsi, 14, were killed by their schoolmates.
The girls were discovered by a man hunting in the veld. His dogs had led him to the gruesome discovery in Dobsonville, Soweto.
They were dressed in their George Khoza Secondary School uniforms and were found about a metre from each other, their school bags nearby. Black candles and razor blades were found next to their bodies.
On Tuesday, Ratazayo and Thandeka’s grandmother, Elizabeth Potsanyane, and some of their relatives were in the high court in Joburg, for the sentencing of the two boys convicted of the murders.
The accused are now aged 17, and because they are minors, they may not be named.
Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela sentenced the minors to 14 years in prison under the Child Justice Act.
The boys had pleaded guilty to two counts of murder.
During sentencing, the judge ruled that the pair serve the next four years at a place of safety and the rest at a prison after they have turned 21.
The court heard that the boys had confessed to being involved in satanism and having killed the two girls. They said they were filled with remorse.
“Two young innocent lives were lost. They are gone forever. They were completely defenceless and helpless,” said Judge Maumela.
Speaking outside court, Ratazayo said she had been overwhelmed with emotion every time her daughter’s name was mentioned or when she was comforted by community members.
“It took a while to understand. I am always crying but prayer has made life easier. I sometimes try to hide myself from people, but that can not go on forever. She will never come back. Even if I do not forgive them (the killers), I need to understand that she is gone,” she said.
The Star