The family of Pule Kgaratsi wants a probe into the failure of Moroka Police to make arrests in the case that has gone cold, four years after the Sandown High School principal was murdered in Soweto.
Kgaratsi was shot dead in July 2017 in White City, Soweto, and since then the family has been sent “from pillar to post”, according to his elder sister, Queen Molefe, who blamed the lack of progress on the police.
“Whenever I drive past Moroka Police Station, I look away because of the anger and detestation I have for that station. Since 2017 to date, nothing has materialised on my younger brother’s case nor have we received anything concrete so we can find closure. My brother was killed like a dog and if we don’t follow up, we won’t get justice,” said the 68-year old .
Kgaratsi (51) was shot and killed on July 30 around 4am, after returning from a social event at Kliptown Square the night before.
According to Molefe, Kgarasi was travelling with a lady friend who claimed that she blacked out, and could’nt recall anything from the time they left the party to the time she woke up at home.
Molefe said the “senseless” killing of Kgaratsi had not only left the family devastated but, “it seems like some people are living off my brother’s death while our hearts are still aching”.
“We are not interested in Pule’s money, not at all, but it pains us to see people moving on, spending his money, without the slightest worry of finding the killers. This so-called partner has never asked for the death certificate, they were never married just as it is stated in his death certificate, and yet was able to claim his money. How is that possible? We are not accusing anyone but there are so many questions around the fateful day that raises eyebrows.
“Firstly, we don’t understand why things like the jacket he was wearing and his favourite ring were removed from the crime scene. When the matter was reported to us by his friends, many hours after he was killed, they walked in with the yellow jacket that he was wearing, which was questionable.
“Days later, his partner suddenly had his ring hung around his neck. In the pictures we saw of the crime scene, my brother was stripped naked (at the crime scene).
“Then how did his jacket and ring end up in the hands of those other two? These are the leads we expected the investigating officer to follow, and yet all the assigned officials end up dumping this case.
“Moroka police station, including the different officers that were assigned to the case and its station commander are all to be blamed for the collapse of this case. But no one is being held liable.
“I am exhausted. I have lost faith in our justice system that promises to serve the people. Moroka Police Station should be investigated,” she added.
The case has now been escalated to a provincial level.
SAPS’ Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo confirmed that a case of murder was opened at Moroka Police Station (by the family) and assigned to the investigating officer for further investigation.
“The investigating officer (assigned) commenced with the investigation without any breakthrough. The case was escalated to the Provincial Office after the family of the deceased was not satisfied with the manner in which the case was handled by the first investigating officer.
“At (the) provincial office, the case was assigned to a seasoned investigating officer that is attached to the Organised Crime Unit. Still, there is no breakthrough as yet,” he said, adding that the case remains open and investigations continue.
Molefe, however, is not comforted by this response.
She said: “This reality is sad and that there are many cases in South Africa that remain unsolved. This is the new pandemic of our country.”