Family, friends and residents of Bloemfontein came in numbers to pay tribute to the young woman who was found murdered after her first date with the man she was meeting for the first time in Kew, Johannesburg.
Olorato Mongale, from Bayswater suburb in Bloemfontein, was remembered in a moving memorial service held at Mahube Tumelo Hall in Bloemfontein on Thursday.
The Mongale, 30, who was a student at the University of Witwatersrand, was praised by all speakers. The memorial service was also attended by the Mangaung Metro Municipality head, Gregory Nthatisi.
Gender based violence
Mongale’s brutal death also reignited flames of anti-gender based violence (GBV). Many women and children in the country are finding themselves at the receiving end these attacks and killings.
Mongale became a victim after being picked up by the white VW Polo at her place of residence. Her body was later discovered thrown in the streets of Lombardy West in Johannesburg on Sunday.
Mongale’s aunt, Dr Maureen Mongale, explained that she was still in shock that her niece is no more.
Family distraught
“Speaking for the family, it is hard for us to process this loss. I used to breastfeed Olorato, even though I knew that there was no milk coming out. She was a darling, and we are sad as the Mongale family,” said Dr Mongale.
Police are working around the clock to crack the case, as they made a breakthrough on Wednesday night. One suspect was arrested. And the car that was in the crime was found at the panel beater workshop in phoenix, Kwazulu-Natal.
Police are still searching for three more suspects who are on the run.
SAPS national spokesperson, Colonel Athlenda Mathe, spoke on the suspects being sought for the crime. She said on Thursday that two of the three suspects sought by the police are currently out on bail.
Mathe said Bongani Mthimkhulu and Philangenkosi Makhanya were nabbed for kidnapping and robbery. They were released a week later in April.
Suspects were on bail
“We had actually arrested two of the three suspects that we are looking for. On the 20th of April this year, we arrested them for kidnapping and robbery in the Brakpan area,” she said.
“A vigilant police officer was conducting his regular patrols. He came across a suspicious-looking vehicle, a VW similar to the one in question. And when he confronted the suspects, he found that they had just kidnapped a woman and robbed her,” said Mathe.
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