Deputy Minister Polly Boshielo on murder of Lukhona Fose

14-year-old Lukhona Fose’s body was found exactly a week after 30-year-old Olorato MONGALE’S lifeless body was found dumped in Lombardy West.

All these cases happen in the midst of the discovery of the lifeless body of a woman under her boyfriend’s bed at his house in Protea, Soweto. The 27-year-old boyfriend has been arrested.

Ladies and gentlemen, the ongoing targetting of women, young girls and vulnerable groups remain a concern.

Putting a stop to Gender based violence and femicide is a national priority and that is why maximum resources are always deployed to investigate such cases and track down these perpetrators.

It cannot be business as usual when women are attacked and killed on a weekly basis. It cannot be normal when a 14-year-old girl’s private part is mutilated and removed.

Ladies and gentlemen, the SAPS occult unit has been roped in to investigate this matter. The SAPS occult unit is responsible for investigating all cases where body parts are removed from victims for various reasons including a hate crime or muthi crime.

There are two possibilities. It could be Lukhona was targeted for her sexuality - making it a hate crime or her body parts were mutilated for muthi purposes. Our investigations are ongoing and maximum resources have been roped in to find those that are behind the killing of this young woman.

The fight against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is indeed a priority that requires a collective response. We need everyone on board, everyone in society. It must be a shared responsibility to address the root causes of violence and create a safer environment for women.

We have full faith and confidence in the team that has been appointed by the Provincial Commissioner to investigate the matter, that in no time, a breakthrough will be registered.

We request the full cooperation of this community especially the young people in this community- someone knows what happened to Lukhona and the truth must come out and her killers must be found!!!

We urge women and young girls in the country to be extra vigilant of their surroundings and not to be so trusting- always report your whereabouts to your parents, friends and guardians.

I will now hand over to DM Steve Letsike for Dept of women, youth and persons with disabilities

#GovZAUpdates