Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga has called on the Malamulele Magistrate’s Court to deny bail to the three suspects accused of murdering Limpopo comedian Ndivhuwo Khadziani, popularly known as Skeem Mafenya.

Chikunga made the call on Thursday while addressing hundreds of mourners at the Malamulele Community Hall during the memorial service of the young comedian, whose death has left his family, friends, colleagues and the entertainment industry devastated.

The suspects are 23-year-old Hlamulo Given Makondo, 20-year-old Glen Khosa and a 17-year-old boy, whose case is being handled separately in accordance with the Child Justice Act.

The trio were arrested on 17 October following an intelligence-driven police operation, hours after the 20-year-old comedian was found stabbed to death at Madonsi Boltman B in Malamulele.

“Our view as government and our view as minister in the presidency responsible for women, youth and persons with disabilities is that those perpetrators must not be granted pay.

“They must remain in jail so that justice for Skeem must be done. Yes, indeed even if they go to jail they will not bring him back, but at least justice must be seen to be done and reserved to the families,” Chikunga said.

According to Limpopo police, officers received a report at approximately 03:35 on Saturday, 17 October, about a person lying motionless inside a yard.

When police arrived, they found Mafenya lying on the ground with multiple stab wounds to his upper body.

It is alleged that a community member heard a knock at the door and, upon looking through a window, noticed a man bleeding profusely.

Emergency Medical Services were called to the scene, but Mafenya was declared dead.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba said the motive for the killing remained unknown as investigations continued.

Limpopo Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Jan Petrus Scheepers condemned the killing and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.

“We will mobilise all necessary resources to ensure that those responsible for this senseless killing are brought to justice.

The murder of a young life with so much potential is deeply disturbing, and we will not rest until the perpetrators are behind bars,” Scheepers said.

Chikunga, meanwhile, expressed concern about the involvement of young people in violent crime, saying families and communities had a responsibility to raise boys who did not resort to weapons and violence.

“The criminals, the murderers, the rapists are becoming younger and younger. And it is therefore not surprising that those who are arrested for committing this crime are young boys. And that actually says we have a responsibility as South Africans, we have a responsibility as mothers, but in particular as fathers, we have a responsibility to raise young boys who when they leave our homes do not take a knife with them, who when they leave our homes do not take pangas with them, who when they leave our homes do not take illegal firearms with them.

“Because when they do that and we see them doing it and we do not think about that, then of course another family will lose a child. And I just want to say we do thank the police who swiftly arrested the perpetrators,” she said.

The minister praised the police for swiftly arresting the suspects and stressed that justice must be served for Mafenya and his grieving family.

The two adult accused appeared before the Malamulele Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, 20 October, while the 17-year-old’s case was handled separately. The matter was postponed to 27 October for a formal bail application and profiling.

Meanwhile, the funeral service will take place in Malamulele on Saturday, with family, friends, community members and supporters expected to gather to bid farewell to the comedian whose life was cut short in a violent incident.