As the country celebrates women’s month, the community of eNtshawini in KwaDukuza believes there is nothing to celebrate.
This because the KwaZulu-Natal north coast community is yet to see justice served for a 16-year-old pupil who was shot dead on her way back from school.
The spine-chilling murder of Rethabile Mashile, a pupil at Chief Albert Luthuli Secondary, has since sent shockwaves in her community.
She had been in the company of her friend when an unidentified man accosted the teenagers from behind and allegedly shot Mashile at close range before fleeing.
Mashile’s friend escaped unharmed when the attack, not far from the deceased home, took place on April 20.
KwaDukuza anti-crime activist Lawrence Mgwaba told Sunday World that the wheels of justice are moving slowly, lamenting that the area is infested with gangs.
“A young women’s life was taken away prematurely in the most brutal way,” said Mgwaba.
“It has been four months since this heinous crime was committed and there’s not been much movement in bringing the culprit to book.
“It was a clear hit because the perpetrator was apparently carrying a photo of the teenager, which he looked at before shooting her dead.”
Nokuthokoza Hlongwa, a relative of the pupil who was with Mashile when she was gunned down, said the family has resorted to desperate measures to protect her.
“We had to hide her because she is a potential witness. We fear that whoever killed her friend might come after her to stop her from speaking out,” said Hlongwa.
Sunday World understands that the murdered teen was a key witness in the murder case of her mother, who was killed in November 2022.
The murder of Mashile’s mother remains unresolved.
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa.
