Durban — Several organisations that advocate against the abuse of women have voiced their concerns on the Sbusiso Lawrence incident where he confessed to killing his girlfriend in a chilling social media video near Umzinto in KwaZulu-Natal.
On Wednesday, the police found Lawrence near the crime scene. It is alleged that he had hung himself from a tree.
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the body of Nontobeko Cele, 25, was found with stab wounds with a broken knife next to her. Netshiunda said Lawrence allegedly fetched the woman, who was his girlfriend, from her home and it is suspected that the two had a domestic-related altercation which led to the murder.
“The suspect’s vehicle was found abandoned down the road from where the woman’s body was found, and blood on the front passenger seat suggested that the suspect killed the woman inside his vehicle,” he said.
Police are investigating a case of murder and an inquest docket.
In the video, Lawrence said: “You will say I am cruel. I tried. I worked very hard trying to satisfy a woman... but she gave birth to a child that isn’t mine.”
Lawrence’s father had broken the family's silence and told Newzroom Afrika the family was heartbroken and struggled to sleep. He revealed that when it came to the posting of the video and the late man's alleged horrific actions, he was in the dark. He further stated that the murdered woman was Lawrence’s wife as lobola had been paid and he (the father) was part of the negotiations.
“When they started fighting, he asked me and his mother to go and speak to the wife’s family. She ended up dumping him before our very eyes. After that, they had a lot of terrifying issues.
“He then opened up to us about what had been happening. He was a quiet person who kept a lot of things to himself. He told us everything, including that the child the woman had given birth to, was not his," he said.
Women For Change, an advocacy group, voiced concern about the sharing of such images, saying: “It is deeply inappropriate and harmful to share graphic content of murdered women. This is not entertainment but the tragic reality of someone's loved one.”
The founder of the Women of uMthwalume organisation, Nombuso Sibisi, said men had to find healthier ways to cope with relationship endings.
“Men should learn to let go of a partner who no longer wants to be in that relationship. Life will go on,” she said.
“From what I gathered, he was upset about having supported her financially, yet that does not justify taking her life.”
Chad Thomas, an organised crime investigator from IRS Forensic Investigations, said criminals had no respect.
“Cases like this show the seriousness of GBV and femicide in South Africa.
“It’s unbelievable how callous the suspect was to film what he had done.”
He said that although statistics in KZN showed a slight decrease in murder and sexual offences, South Africa remained one of the worst countries for murder and rape: “The number of cases opened versus the number that lead to convictions is staggeringly low, a disparity that needs open discussion.”
Member of Igumbi Labafelokazi Foundation, Nokuthula Dlamini said GBV affected parents as well and that many young people forgot who had raised them: “It should serve as a lesson for the youth to watch how their actions cause pain to their parents.”
Head of Action Society’s Action Centre, Kaylynn Palm described the murder and the online content as deeply disturbing: “It is unacceptable and heartbreaking that she had to endure such a brutal death, followed by the indignity of having such content shared online. ”
“The truth is, women are not safe. According to the latest crime statistics a total of 957 women were murdered – an average of 11 women every day.”
Democratic Alliance Women’s Network KZN chairperson Remona Mckenzie said she had submitted a motion to council requesting for the eThekwini Council to start a GBV desk.
“When will enough be enough? The government’s response on these issues need to be more proactive. This is not a seasonal issue, it happen 365 days in a year. We need to prioritize GBV.
Women need to break the silence to stop the violence by being more vocal. The systems created to assist with GBV need to be reviewed and loop holes rectified,” she said.
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