Community outraged after woman killed in suspected gender-based violence attack

Happy Nxumani was killed in suspected gender-based violence. Picture: File

Happy Nxumani was killed in suspected gender-based violence. Picture: File

Published Apr 11, 2023

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Pretoria - Community members of Giyani in Limpopo are outraged after another woman was killed in suspected gender-based violence (GBV) over the Easter weekend.

Mbaula village residents have vowed to go to the Giyani Magistrate’s Court in their numbers to ensure the suspect, due in the dock today, does not get bail. The suspect, 28, is accused of murdering his girlfriend Happy Nxumani, 27, from the village of Majeje.

Limpopo police said Nxumani was stabbed to death at Mbaula village in the early hours of Saturday.

Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said Nxumani allegedly went to a local tavern demanding that her boyfriend – the suspect – return home with her.

On arrival at their house, the couple got into an argument, which resulted in Nxumani being stabbed in the upper-body with a sharp object.

The suspect fled the scene into nearby bushes. “Police and local emergency medical services were summoned and found the victim lying in a pool of blood. She was certified dead.

Ledwaba said the suspect was later apprehended after intervention by his family, who called the police while he was hiding in the bushes. He voluntarily handed himself over to the police.

The incident infuriated the villagers, who were baying for his blood.

Yesterday, a community member, Matthews Shiluvhani, said the villagers would be going to court in large numbers to ensure the suspect remains in custody or faces the wrath of the community. “We are tired of men killing our women as if it’s nothing. We hear of these incidents almost every week

“We will be going to court and the authorities must know they had better keep him inside for his safety or he will face us because we will wait outside.”

Shiluvhani said the suspect was known to have disrespect and abused his girlfriend, but he was never arrested by the police because she never reported the incidents.

“When I heard that she was stabbed, I immediately knew it was him because of his violent history.”

Pretoria News