Namhla Mtwa’s Murder Has Once Again Brought Attention To Sa Gbv

She was shot in the upper body and pronounced dead at the spot, according to Eastern Cape SAPS.

 

Sanga Nozintathu Mtwa, the victim’s grieving sister, resorted to social media to demand justice for her sister. This request triggered a public outrage, with the hashtags #JusticeForHlehle and #JusticeForNamhla trending on social media.

Other claimed victims of gender-based abuse were motivated to submit their personal tales in response to the hashtags.

 

“My sister was viciously murdered in her driveway by a man.” She was shot nine times and died instantly. “There was no arrest, no suspect, and no one was brought in for interrogation,” one of Sanga’s posts stated.

Sanga claimed that her sister was in an abusive relationship with her 17-year-long partner, who was a “connected” businessman. The man, however, denied being responsible for his girlfriend’s murder, according to News24.

 

“I’m sick of acting as if I have no idea what life my sister was living. We were concerned for her safety. She imagined that one day she would be able to move away from the abuse. “My sister was abused mentally, physically, and financially,” she wrote in her post.

 

The bereaved sister reportedly uploaded multiple videos and photos of Mtwa covered in bruises, as well as copies of texts supposedly between Mtwa and her family discussing the alleged abuse she had suffered, which went viral.

In reaction to public outrage, SAPS Eastern Cape Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Nomthetheleli Mene assigned a Brigadier-level senior manager to oversee the matter.

 

“Members of the family and the general public may be assured that Namhla’s case is in the hands of capable and properly qualified detectives,” Mene said on Saturday.

 

“With the community’s and other formations’ support and response in every area of our province and beyond its borders, we are optimistic that a breakthrough in this particular instance will be made.”

“An appeal is also made that anyone who has important information that will add value to the work of the investigating team and lead to the suspect’s arrest, please share it with the lead investigator,” Mene added.

 

SAPS spokeswoman Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana noted that the police welcomed the response of members of the public who approached the police with information about gender-based violence and femicide.

 

“Anyone who may be able to assist in the investigation by contributing information that will lead to the positive identification and arrest of the culprit is asked to contact Brigadier Venetia Masingi, the lead investigating officer, at 082 040 6751 or Crime Stop 08600 10111,” Kinana added.

Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane has called on police to examine claims of gender-based violence and femicide in connection with Mtwa’s death as soon as possible.

 

“Someone must account for the heinous murder of this young woman.” “We must also find answers to the photographs that we have seen in the last 24 hours that reveal that she was subjected to all manner of inhumane practices before to her death,” Mabuyane said.

 

“We must also do all possible to ensure that no other young woman experiences the same fate as Namhla.” Let us speak out louder and more forcefully against all forms of violence against women.”