On August 2, a 23-year-old mother experienced a parent’s worst fear. Veronique Makwena’s five-year-old daughter, Chantelle, had gone missing from their home in the Rocklands farm area, Port Elizabeth.
She says she had left her daughter with a close friend, when she went to a store with her sister, explaining her daughter had not been well.
Returning from the store that evening, Chantelle was gone. She says one of the things which bugged her about Chantelle’s disappearance was that her shoes were still in the house. According to Veronique, Chantelle never went anywhere without her shoes.
Searching frantically for the little girl, the five-year-old was found the next day. Her bloodied body slumped over a toilet seat.
Veronique’s world came crashing down around her, as she struggled to come to terms with her little girl’s death.
On Wednesday, November 20, Veronique and her sister-in-law, Noxolo Maneli, appeared in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court. Their crime?
The women were arrested after apparently confronting the alleged suspect in September, a man who was known by them. Not only did they assault him, but they also cut off his penis.
Held in custody for two weeks in September, their plight received attention when they were later released on bail. Their bail made possible through the assistance of people who heard about the incident through various platforms.
Their legal representative is Advocate Fundile Matoto, who is offering to represent the three pro-bono.
Matoto says he believes the case is a matter of assault, at most grievous bodily harm. Therefore, with the woman facing charges of attempted murder, he is concerned.
Furthermore, he is also raising concerns about the police’s failure in making an arrest for Chantelle’s murder. This is despite police taking DNA samples when her body was found.
Pending further investigation, the case will continue on 6 February 2020.
With the fate of the mother and her sister-in-law, hanging in the balance, do you feel they were justified in their act? Or do you feel they crossed a line by assaulting the man and allegedly cutting off his penis?
Share your views and opinions with us in the comment section below.
