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On Wednesday, family, friends and community members bid an emotional farewell to Matshepo Malefane, the Soweto teenage girl whose lifeless body was found hanging from a tree in Mapetla last week.
Loved ones of the 19-year-old aspiring health scientist described her as a kind and gentle soul with big dreams.
Her uncle, Moagi Maponyane, struggling to hold back tears, said he would remember her joyful attitude, as she liked to turn up the volume when listening to music while doing household chores.
Maponyane said:
He said Malefane was always willing to lend a helping hand to her peers at Sunday school.
A close friend, Keletso Lenong, said she was taken aback weeks before Malefane’s death when the deceased asked her what song she would remember her by.
“I started to pay more attention to the songs she listened to and admired her taste in music. Little did I know that she was saying goodbye.”
The funeral was attended by scores of community members, including Malefane’s former high school peers, who punctuated the ceremony with hymns.
Ward councillor Gift Malapane appealed to the community to remain calm and allow the police to do their work.
READ: Family of teenage girl found hanging from a tree in Soweto wants answers
“This is an eye-opening experience for the community and we should ensure that it never happens again. Although Matshepo’s death remains a mystery, I would like to plead with young people to always listen to their elders and be disciplined when chasing their dreams,” said Malapane.
He said they were willing to work with the community to strengthen community policing forums (CPFs).
“We have supported our CPFs because those are the people who can stop these things from happening at an immediate stage.”
Former EFF Gauteng chairperson Mandisa Mashego said Malefane’s family deserves justice.
Mashego, who was a mayoral candidate of the Abantu Batho Congress in the 2021 local government elections, said she would be supporting the family to ensure that the incident is properly investigated.
Mashego said:
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