Brutal rape and murder case marks grim start to Women’s Month in Northern Cape
As South Africa ushers in Women’s Month, the haunting memory of a young life violently cut short has resurfaced in the form of some measure of justice finally served.
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AS SOUTH Africa seeks to honour and uplift women throughout August, a chilling reminder of the violence they face has already cast a dark shadow over the start of Women’s Month in the Northern Cape.
On August 1 – the very day that marks the beginning of national commemorations – the Kimberley High Court sentenced 35-year-old Selby George to two life terms for the brutal rape and murder of 21-year-old Thobeka Bosman in Marydale.
Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Sergio Kock said Bosman was attacked in October 2018, and her half-naked body discovered under a bridge on Snyman Street. She had been raped and strangled.
The sentence, while welcomed, underscores the harrowing reality of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) in the Northern Cape and the country – a crisis that continues to devastate families and communities. Bosman’s murder is one of countless cases where women fall victim to horrific abuse, and the court's ruling highlights both the severity of the crime and the justice system’s responsibility to respond decisively.
Lieutenant-Colonel Kock confirmed that George was arrested soon after the murder and remained behind bars until sentencing. The successful prosecution was the result of intensive work by Detective Sergeant Lewellyn Smit of the Marydale Detectives and a strong collaboration between SAPS and the National Prosecuting Authority.
The provincial commissioner of the Northern Cape, Lieutenant-General Koliswa Otola, welcomed the sentence handed down to George, urging continued unity in the fight against the scourge of GBVF.
While the double life sentence sends a strong message, it also serves as a sobering reminder of how far the country still has to go in protecting women from violence — especially in a month dedicated to celebrating their strength, steadfastness and contributions to society.
Bosman’s name now joins the long and painful list of victims whose stories remind us that Women’s Month must be more than symbolic. It must be a call to action.