Mboneni Yende had his hands full this week preparing to lead a march against Gender Based Violence (GBV) in Springs.
Hundreds of families from the KwaThema community, including Yende's own family, marched from the KwaThema Hall to the Springs Magistrate's Court on Thursday to protest against the failure of the justice system. “Our aim was to raise awareness about our failed justice system,” said Yende.
“We want the constitution to be reviewed, because criminals are literally getting away with murder. All they are getting is a slap on the wrist, and then soon they are out on good behaviour. It’s unacceptable.”
Last year, Yende’s sister Thembisile, an engineering assistant at Eskom, was found dead at the utility’s Pieterboth substation.
The body of the mother of one, who was beaten and suffocated in her office in Springs, was discovered a week after she was reported missing.
A single suspect, David Ngwenya, was arrested. However the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) recently withdrew charges against Ngwenya because of a lack of evidence.
“When they said the charges were provisionally withdrawn, in my mind I knew that this is how South Africa works, and how the law operates,” said Yende. “The charges will be withdrawn, and everyone forgets and the case just goes cold.”
But Yende won’t let that happen. He is determined to obtain justice for his little sister’s brutal murder.
“This should have been the time when we were supposed to be walking towards the road of closure, but we can’t, based on the merits of the case and where it’s at,”Yende protested.
“We feel that justice is being denied and it doesn’t make it any easier," Yende said, describing how the murdered woman's family continues to relive the horror of her death because resolution is impossible as long as her murder remains unsolved.
"Her son, Khamo, just turned eight. He is a very happy child . I think it hasn’t sunk in yet, but he’s got this belief his mom has just gone to work and she is coming back. Every time we we tell him she’s gone to God, he tells us, maybe she is coming back.”
Yende has maintained that Ngwenya was being used as a decoy to protect the real perpetrators behind Thembisile’s murder.
“It’s getting to a point where we are saying our suspicions are confirmed. Eskom knows about the death of Thembisile. If Eskom was innocent in all of this, they surely would have spared no expense in ensuring that they find out who killed my sister.”
Eskom, he said, had not offered the family any form of emotional support. “No one is being held accountable. Everything is going on as normal so we feel like Eskom knows exactly what happened to Thembisile.
“They haven’t really said anything; they don’t even show that emotional support towards the family. Eskom only came to finalise the paperwork for the funeral arrangements. We have been to their offices a few times demanding answers, and the ones they gave us were appalling. They honestly don’t care.”
Yende believes that his sister was killed because she had information that could have compromised employees at Eskom. He has long demanded answers from Eskom as to why the security camera that was facing the room where Thembisile’s body was found wasn’t working on the day of her murder.
“Lately we discovered that the cameras facing the room where her body was discovered have now disappeared. Eskom claims that these cameras have not been working for four years, but my question is, why would a company like Eskom who pride themselves on safety, keep a camera that hasn’t been working for four years, and then why did they feel the need to remove the camera soon after Thembisile’s death?”
Eskom spokesperson Khulu Phasiwe said the company had no reason to believe that the case had not been fair. “This is a criminal investigation conducted by the SAPS and issues related to witnesses can be addressed to them,” said Phasiwe.
“Eskom’s employees and contracted security personnel have fully co-operated with the SAPS in this case, and shall continue to do so.”
Phasiwe confirmed the cameras on site were not working on the day Thembisile was reported missing.
“Eskom has provided all the necessary and required information to the SAPS who had unrestricted access to the site, all material, suspects and witnesses. All information that was recorded by the cameras before and after she disappeared was handed over to the SAPS.”