An 18-year-old Soweto teenager shot and burnt to ashes in a shack has become the latest victim of the gruesome war on defenceless women.
Matshidiso Ndlovu met her painful death on Monday night when she was visiting her boyfriend in Lufhereng.
According to Ndlovu’s family, their daughter lost her life alongside her boyfriend and another friend who were also shot and burnt in the shack.
According to the family, the bubbly young woman left home on Monday to visit her friend in Green village. She then proceeded to visit her boyfriend, only known to the family as Njabulo, where she met her untimely death.
The Star visited the distraught Soweto family on Thursday.
The deceased’s grandmother, Elizabeth Kaoa, said: “She was burnt beyond recognition, her mother and I could only identify her by her teeth, as she has the same set as her mother, and her toes, as they look like mine, but beyond that we couldn't identify her. All three bodies were burnt beyond recognition.”
Gabisile Ndlovu, aunt of the deceased, said she was traumatised when she learnt of Matshidiso’s death.
“Matshidiso’s friend called to inform me of her death on Tuesday morning. I was so shocked when Matshidiso’s friend called me with the news, I rushed to the area and what we found was very devastating, the shack was burnt to the ground.
“We are all in pain. Matshidiso was such a lovely girl. She wanted to be a social worker to assist people from disadvantaged backgrounds. My niece had no issues with anybody, we don’t understand how she could be killed so cruelly. What we ask is for justice,” said Ndlovu.
Gauteng police spokesperson Captain Mavela Masondo said police have opened three cases of murder and arson for investigation.
The aunt further detailed that information on how their daughter lost her life was sketchy.
“The landlord of the burnt shack said he heard loud knocking outside on Monday evening. When he peeped through the window, he saw five men with guns outside Matshidiso’s boyfriend’s room.
“He claims when one of the tenants went outside to find out what was happening, the five men told him to get back inside as they did not come for him.”
After a while he heard five gunshots before the men left the yard but they came back a few minutes later to burn the shack.
The family said according to the information they heard, it was alleged that the three were tied up before being executed.
Matshidiso’s mother Lindiwe Ndlovu said she still can’t wrap her head around her daughter’s death.