Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Maite Nkoana Mashabane visited the bereaved family of University of Fort Hare student Nosicelo Mtebeni who was brutally murdered at the beginning of August.

The minister expressed her heartfelt condolences to the family, stating that the pain the Mtebeni family is feeling is one that the whole nation is feeling.

“This is a very painful period for all of us. The Mtebeni pain is our pain. Nosicelo was the beam of hope for this family and that hope has been gruesomely taken away from them,” said Minister Nkoana-Mashabane

The Minister exclaimed that the visit to the Mtebeni homestead was of paramount importance as the family needed to be reassured and know that they are not mourning the death of their daughter alone.

In speaking to the family, Minister expressed the condolences of the department and government as a whole. She stated that no one could come to terms with this vicious act, and that Nosicelo’s life had been taken away in a most abhorrent manner.

Speaking to media present, Minister once again made the call to society in general to stand in unison with Government to fight the battle against GBVF in the country. On Saturday, Minister met with the granddaughter of 93-year-old Cynthia Doubell who was raped and murdered in her home in Belville, Western Cape.

“While Government is doing its part, it cannot achieve this objective alone. Prevention of GBVF must start at family and societal level where perpetrators live side by side with victims.

How we raise our girl and boy children is key. We have to teach boys that resolving conflict without resorting to violence is critical. We have to work on the self-esteem of young boys and men in our society.”

Source: Government of South Africa