Karabo came to me completely battered‚ says spiritual counselor
The ‘spiritual mother’ of murder victim Karabo Mokoena on Wednesday revealed that the 22-year-old had on one occasion come to her bruised.
“She came to my home at 9pm… She came to me completely battered but she said ‘I don’t care who did what but she said this is the temple of the living God and you cannot change it’‚” said Dr Adele Tjale‚ speaking at a memorial service for Karabo at the Diepkloof Multipurpose Centre in Soweto.
Without divulging the details of the incident‚ Tjale said Karabo had confided in her as a counselor.
The young woman was found dead on April 29. She was burnt beyond recognition in a ditch in Lyndhurst.
Tjale had seen a lot of potential in Karabo‚ whom speakers described as an ambitious young woman who had a lot of dreams.
“I looked at her the first time and thought this child is going somewhere. She had dreams‚ beautiful dreams. She had strength which was unimaginable‚” said Tjale.
Tjale‚ however‚ did not mince her words as she spoke about Karabo’s death‚ saying that she was ‘livid’ about the situation.
“Too many are making it a norm. It cannot be a norm. Women are quiet. Where are the fathers that can stand in a society and say no more?” she said to the applause of the crowd.
She said mothers‚ fathers and others who saw abuse and said nothing had all failed Karabo‚ saying they were “were all guilty”.
“Men have failed. The fathers of this nation have not protected our girl child‚” Tjale said.
Karabo’s boyfriend‚ Sandile Mantsoe has been arrested for the crime.
He appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court last week. He is expected back in court next week where he is to formally apply for bail.
Tjale said she had a lot of questions about Karabo’s death.
“I asked myself did she suffer? I said my God‚ did she suffer?”