The Galeshewe community is outraged after the brutal death of 15-year-old Angela Thuto Moitse. Picture: Soraya Crowie
OUTRAGED community members are demanding justice for 15-year-old Angela Thuto Moitse, who died after she was allegedly assaulted and choked while intervening in a fight.
Prayer meetings were held by Revival FM calling for calm after a large group of youths gathered outside her home in Kesebaketse Street in Galeshewe on Monday afternoon. The police were also on the scene.
A community march will take place on Tuesday, November 10 from the Galeshewe circle to the police station at 5pm.
Eyewitnesses claimed that Thuto had tried to stop a fight on Friday, November 6 involving four other girls and a boy.
“During the scuffle she was pushed to the ground, where she fell and landed on her stomach. The boy, who is of a much bigger build, sat on top of her and then punched her in her stomach,” said one of the witnesses.
The witnesses also allege that the boy’s father choked Thuto.
Community members have condemned the incident and have called for an arrest to be made, failing which they are threatening to take matters into their own hands.
“It is despicable for a man to abuse a teenage girl. An adult should behave more responsibly by resolving a fight between children amicably without resorting to unnecessary violence. Now a young life has been lost,” they stated.
A group of Thuto's friends indicated that they were supposed to take part in a dance competition at the Mayibuye Centre. “On Saturday, November 7 we went to town to buy outfits for the competition. Thuto later told us that she was experiencing pain and she started vomiting.”
Thuto’s mother, Kelebogile Moitse, said that prior to the incident her youngest daughter, who was in Grade 9, was in perfect health.
“I only noticed some scratches and marks on her neck on Friday. She started complaining of chest and stomach pains on Sunday and I decided to call an ambulance so that she could be transported to Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital for medical treatment. I am not familiar with the extent of her injuries as we were not allowed to visit her in hospital due to the Covid-19 regulations. A number of tests were conducted while she was in hospital. She passed away on Monday,” said Kelebogile.
She added that the family were awaiting the post-mortem results to determine the exact cause of death.
“I appeal to the community to remain calm and to wait for the outcome of the autopsy results,” she added.
Shaine Griqua, from the Shaine Griqua Foundation, said that the incident really hit home as Thuto is a relative of one of his co-workers in the moral regeneration movement.
Griqua called on the police “to act quickly so that justice can prevail”.
“The suspect must be arrested and should be denied bail. If found guilty, the suspect must be handed the harshest sentence possible without the option of parole because such evil cannot be tolerated. Way too many women are killed at the hands of barbaric hooligans who disregard life, freedom and dignity," said Griqua.
The convener of the Progressive Professionals Forum, Gregory Nyongane, also called for the immediate arrest of the suspect.
"We cannot allow a situation where a crime of femicide is ignored. The suspect must not be given bail," said Nyongane.
He also advised the community to remain calm and not to take the law into their own hands.
"The police must be allowed to finalise the investigation."
Nyongane extended condolences to the family.
Police spokesperson Captain Olebogeng Tawana stated that the Galeshewe police had opened an inquest docket following the death of a girl and are awaiting the autopsy results.
"The investigation continues," said Tawana.