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The suspect, Vele Prince Budeli.

Two innocent children bludgeoned to death

Date: 17 July 2015 By: Elmon Tshikhudo

In what is believed to be one of the most gruesome killings in Vhembe, two innocent children, aged five and three years, were mercilessly beaten to death at Makonde.

The two children, Thinawanga Munyai (5) and her little brother Justice Thagwana (3), were bludgeoned to death with a knobkierie. Thohoyandou police spokesperson Major Mashudu Malelo confirmed that they are still searching for Prince Budeli-Vele (45), who is suspected of killing the children. The suspect is said to be the father of the three-year-old Justice.

Circumstances surrounding the gruesome incident are still vague and the victims’ mother is still receiving counselling at the local trauma centre. The rumour going around in the village is that Budeli-Vele, who works in Gauteng, came back home and allegedly found the mother of the two with another man. The suspect, who is not a resident of Makonde, but from Nzhelele-Milaboni, is said to have vented his anger on the innocent children. He is alleged to have run away and has not been located so far.

The incident has left stakeholders, the traditional leadership and organizations in a state of insecurity as people fear that the man might come and do more harm in the community.

According to the next-door neighbour, Ms Azwitamisi Madzivhela, it was between 00:30 and 01:00 when the children’s mother, Ms Ndidzulafhi Thagwana, asked her assistance to rescue the children "because Budeli-Vele wants to kill them." She added that the mother of the two was on her way to meet the police at the main road to report the threat against her children.

"When I reached the house, I found the children, Thinawanga and Justice, lying next to each other, covered with a blanket. As I tried to wake them, they were not responding. It was only when I switched on the light from my phone that I realized that the children were dead and they were covered in blood. I then called another neighbour,  Dzivhuluwani Rantsana, who came and also confirmed that the children were dead," explained Madzivhela.

The children's aunt, Ms Joyce Netshiavha, said  that tension had been simmering between the two. She further indicated that she had received a call in the early hours of Wednesday from one of the relatives, informing her of the incident. “I stay at another part of the village, but I rushed to the scene and what I saw there was shocking. There was blood everywhere in the room.” She added that the tiny bodies were wrapped in a blanket “as if nothing had happened to them.”

The local Sanco chairperson, Ms Khwatheleni Rambuda, said that they were living in fear as the suspect had not been arrested so far. "We hope the police will do their job and bring the perpetrator to book," she said.

The senior local traditional leader, Thovhele Vho-Tshilidzi Edward Ravhura, who came to offer his condolences to the family, said he was very disturbed by the incident. “We are worried that people are not sharing their problems with others and they end up committing crimes. There are many structures that are meant to assist people with problems and it is done free of charge. There are elders who are always ready to assist and people should confide in them for an amicable solution,” he said.

Ravhura further indicated that he was worried that the man might pose a further danger as he had not been arrested as yet. “We are making an appeal for the community to be calm and give the law a chance. Those who might come across the suspect should report him to the police and not take the law into their own hands.”

Mr Tshilidzi Masikhwa, a sector manager at the Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Programme, said they were worried about the rising number of such incidents in the community. “We are available all the time to assist those with problems but people seem not to take us seriously. We cannot allow the loss of life by men who are supposed to care for women and children. We are planning to intensify our programmes and have dialogues with men in this area,” he said.

The two were buried in a joint funeral on Tuesday.

 
 
 

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Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

 
 

More photos... 

Justice Thagwane was found dead with his sister.

Ndidzulafhi Thagwana and her fiancé Prince Budeli-Vele during happier times. Photo from a family file.

Ndidzulafhi Thagwana and her fiancé, Prince Budeli-Vele, during happier times.

 

Picture:  from family files

Killed: Thinawanga Munyai (5).

Killed: Justice Thagwana (3).

Village leadership and Thovhele Edward Ravhura are shown the scene where the two were killed.

Thovhele Edward Ravhura (left) and the local leadership at the scene where the kids were killed.

Azwitamisi Madzivhela, Ndidzulafhi's neighbour, was the one who alerted the community about the children's death.

The mother of the children, Ms Aluwani Thagwana, was admitted to hospital after witnessing the murder scene.

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