East London - Magistrate Mhlanga Bala dropped the murder charges against an Eastern Cape mother when she appeared at the Lady Frere Magistrate's Court on Monday.
She was arrested last month with allegations of stabbing to death the man who had allegedly raped her daughter.
The cold and the wet weather in Lady Frere could not deter the various women organisations to render their support to the mother, calling for justice to be done.
"We have been advised by the Senior Public Prosecutor Advocate Van Zyl to drop the charges, so the charges have been dropped," said Bala.
The MEC of Social Development in the Eastern Cape Nancy Sihlwayi was leading the various women groups who were all in support of the mother.
MEC of Social Development in the Eastern Cape Nancy Sihlwayi was at court to support the mother who fatally stabbed her daughter's rapist. Picture: Siyabulela Mqikela
"We are so jovial that the charges have been dropped. This is justice in action and we going to support this woman with counselling and other relevant services," Sihlwayi said.
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Buhle Tonisi, who is the lawyer to the woman, confirmed that she rendered her services free of charge.
"An amount of R144 000 has been raised for her, and that money is going to assist in counselling and other services. I'm not going to charge her for my services," said Tonisi.
She says she is also a woman and wanted to show her support for the struggle against women and children abuse.
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Meanwhile, Cape Town-based businesswoman Buyelwa Bomela is promising to build a house for the 55-year-old woman.
"I'm going to Komani right now, to buy building material so that she can build a proper structure, this is what I can do to show my support against the social ills that we are faced with,"said Bomela.
The Eastern Cape woman (left) who fatally stabbed her daughter's rapist speaks to her lawyer, Buhle Tonisi, after the charges against her wee dropped. Picture: Siyabulela Mqikela
Sonke Gender Justice Media Manager Patrick Godana says they still have a fierce battle to fight.
"Winning this case is just a beginning, there is too many other similar cases that we need to fight and win, this will restore dignity to our justice system and members of public will have confidence in our courts. [The woman's] daughter was gang raped by three men last month, and right at the scene [she] managed to stab to death one man while the other two were injured and are currently in custody."
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