“Karabo, Sandile is going to kill you, you can’t go on like this. This is not a toxic relationship: I don’t know what to call this”. These are the words said by Lola Mokoena, mother of the late Karabo. Women abuse has been a fight for ongoing years, however, the story of Karabo Mokoena has awaken many to the dark realities of it.
April the 27th marks the last date, 22 year old Karabo was seen alive. In the following days to come, the Mokoena’s came to hear the devastating news of their beautiful daughter being murdered, burned beyond recognition and found in a veld in Lyndhurst, Johannesburg day before she was reported missing. The one responsible for her murder was twenty seven year old boyfriend and Forex trader Sandile Mantsoe. Currently facing premeditated murder charges, Sandile bail hearing has been postponed, however , he will be held in prison until his next hearing .
3rd year International Studies student at the University of Pretoria, Palesa Molebatsi is familiar with Sandile Mantsoe drug intake as his friend are part of it and now is more aware of the people she encounters as she cannot be friendly to everyone as she used to be.
Since media platforms were made aware of Karabo’s murder, the internet went on an outrage with #MenAreTrash, Forex Trader operations, reigniting the debate on femicide and broadcasting of messages along with voice notes being sent on WhatsApp to warn females of the situation currently affecting our country. Stories from women in Bloemfontein and Carltonville have come out explaining their experience and alerting females to be safe. While Karabo’s story took the media’s attention, other women since January have been reported killed or raped by either their boyfriends, husbands or other men.
Cases like Priska Schalk,29, who was stabbed to death in February , Mananki Annah ,28 , stabbed and body burnt in April, Nicola Pienaar, 28, murdered and buried in a shallow grave in January, Akhona Njokana ,31, shot dead in January and more are just a couple of females who suffered under the hands of those who are meant to protect. With speculations’ surrounding the story of Karabo in regards to cheating allegations and more, that doesn’t distract the fact that no parent should ever have to bury their own child. This alert has called for many females to fear for their safety . The country is becoming a dangerous place to live in. Females can no longer walk alone without the fear of something happening to them. 3rd year Psychology student, Mbali Matsebula feels the need to look over her shoulders for not feeling safe as a women due to the killings currently happening.
It’s funny how social media opened so many of the public’s eyes to what has been happening for quite some time. It took a story of a young, beautiful girl to shake the country and set safety measures around themselves. Who can one trust if the people who are meant to love us are the ones to take our lives? Close friends and family members warned Karabo about the abuse she was receiving from her Sandile, with Karabo herself taking pictures after an encounter with him. The fight against women abuse and femicide will continue in the name of Karabo Mokoena and other women. 3rd year , Psychology student , Emilia Williams ,however, feels a positive light can be shun in the aspect that people are becoming scared for their lives putting in safety measures and aware of abusive relationships.
With the rate of femicide going up, the image of men is being tarnished especially for those who are against the Karabo situation. 3rd year Fine Arts student, Ditiro Mokgatle gives his opinion mentioning that the situation is messy , however, it’s a two party thing that shouldn’t be down to one individual.
Not all men living are trash. Social media has a way of displaying the image of a portion as a whole. If we going to generalize than we can say that all women are sluts, all men who have a feminine side to them are gay or all Nigerians are either drug dealers or fraudsters. Let’s just say that humanity in regards to trash is what they are; its own killer.
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