When mothers are murdered families bleed for generations
The death of Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo has reopened a family wound for veteran journalist Mkhuma, whose sister Pearl “Kokozi” Mkhuma was killed in 2008. Their stories expose the lasting damage violent crime inflicts on children, families and communities.
The murder of 38-year-old Elizabeth "Tsontso" Moselakgomo has reignited memories of my sister Pearl "Kokozi" Mkhuma, who was also killed at the same age in 2008. Both women were young mothers, vibrant and full of life, but their lives were cut short in similar circumstances. Their deaths have left deep scars on their families and communities, and serve as a grim reminder of South Africa's pervasive violence.
Tsontso's eight-year-old daughter will never know the love of her mother, while my sister's children were only four and ten when she was murdered. This violence does not end with the victim but reverberates through families, communities, and generations, leaving behind broken parents, hollowed-out siblings, and a society that cannot guarantee safety.
While men are the majority of homicide victims, women, especially those in intimate relationships, are disproportionately killed. The statistics are alarming, but they represent real people like Tsontso and Kokozi. The normalization of violence against men has allowed the same culture that allows violence against women to thrive.
To truly honor their memories, we must confront this violence at its root and build a society where every life is cherished, and killing is unthinkable.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
