Picture: Two women killed in a veld in Manokwane village, Taung/Generic
By OBAKENG MAJE
The police in Taung request the community to come forth with information after the bodies of two elderly women were discovered in the early hours of Friday morning on 16 June 2023 in Manokwane village, near Taung.
It is alleged that, Mmapulana Pauline Mmusi and Merriam Kelebogile Mokgalagadi (70), left their homes in the afternoon on 15 June 2023 to fetch firewood in a nearby maize field. When they did not return home before dark, their families, friends and community members embarked on a search, which led to the gruesome discovery of their badly assaulted bodies.
The North West police spokesperson, Col Adele Myburgh said both Mmusi and Mokgalagadi were found dead not far from each other in the nearby field. Myburgh further said they were both severely assaulted and sustained serious head injuries.
“They were both declared dead on the scene by Emergency Medical & Rescue Services (EMRS). The police are also investigating the possibility that the victims might have been raped. Anyone with information that can assist the police with the investigation is requested to call Warrant Officer Peace Babe on cell: 082 443 8680.
“Alternatively, one can contact the nearest police station or call Crime Stop on 08600 10111. Anonymous tip-offs can be communicated via the MySAPS App on your smartphone. Information received will be treated as confidential,” she said.
The North West Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena condemned the atrocity and said that, the police will work around the clock to ensure that those who are responsible for this horrendous crime are brought to book.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu calls upon South Africans to respect, protect and uphold the dignity, Integrity, and safety of older persons. Zulu said this in commemoration of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day which took place on 15 June 2023.
“We join the citizens of the world to commemorate World Elder Awareness Day under the theme: “Digital Equity for All Ages”, which seeks to prioritise the protection of the lives and the well-being of the country’s older persons. The day is about raising awareness about the need for access and meaningful participation in the digital space for senior citizens.
“Hence this day is focusing on ensuring that older persons are digitally empowered. South Africa has confirmed that it has an ageing population with estimates indicating that the proportion of older persons aged 60 years and older, has grown from 7,6% in 2002 to 9,1% in 2020,” she said.
Zulu further said it was projected that, by 2015, the proportion of older persons in South Africa will have increased to 9.5% of the population and that is 4.24 million older persons. She added that, in July 2020, about 5.43 million people in South Africa were aged 60 and above.
“Its commemoration, therefore provides an opportunity for communities around the world to promote a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older persons by raising awareness of the cultural, social, economic, and demographical processes affecting elder abuse and neglect.
“Older persons face various kinds of mistreatment and discrimination. Elder abuse is a global public health, human rights, and criminal justice problem. It goes beyond, socioeconomic classes, regions, languages, and ethnicities, but remains an understudied and under-reported phenomenon,” said Zulu.
The Guardian 