LIMPOPO – A lover of a radio presenter found dead on Sunday briefly appeared before the Kgapane Magistrate’s Court yesterday for allegedly strangling his girlfriend to death.
Mokgwakgwa Morwatshehla (34) of Mokwakwaila Ga-Patamedi – Block 5 in the Mopani District stands accused for strangling his girlfriend Lerato Queen Selotole (24) to death.
The Spokesperson for the SAPS in the Limpopo Province Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba said the police received a call from one of the Mokwakwaila community members alerting them about the death of a young woman in the hands of a boyfriend.
Upon arrival of police on the scene they found a female victim lying on the floor. The deceased was identified as Lerato Queen Selotole, a presenter at Perfect Radio station based in the Tzaneen town.
Mashaba said Selotole’s lifeless body was covered with a blanket with scratch marks on the face and neck.
“According to the information gathered on the scene, the two had an altercation that resulted in a physical fight, and the suspect’s brother tried to cool the situation but didn’t succeed. He left them fighting and later when he returned back to the house, he found Selotole lying on the floor and notified the police,” she said.
“The radio presenter, Selotole was certified dead at the scene by the Emergency Medical Service officers. The motive behind the killing of Selotole is still not known at this stage, but domestic violence cannot be ruled out.
His murder case was postponed to the 25th of this month (August) for bail application,” said Brigadier Mashaba.
Perfect Radio station Manager, Raymond Selowa said he was saddened by Lerato’s death. He further said the incident is linked with Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.
“It is heartbreaking to see a woman dying like that during Women’s Month celebrations.
The late Lerato Selotole joined Perfect Radio on 03 October 2022 as a radio presenter after graduating with a Degree in Media Studies from the University of Venda.
She was a brilliant young presenter. As the station, we are sending our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and the people of Block 05,” said Selowa.
The Executive Council of the Limpopo government expressed deep concern over the prevalence of these acts, particularly those occurring within close-knit families. Tragically, some incidents involve parents and partners inflicting harm upon one another.
A distressing example highlighted was the case of a police officer who shot his partner in the Collins Chabane municipality. This shocking act was met with community violence, as members of the community took the law into their own hands.
The Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba said: “The Executive Council recognises that while increased police presence may address some symptoms of this crisis, it cannot resolve the root causes that manifest within our homes and relationships. It is vital that we
prioritize community healing and mutual support over punitive responses. Our approach must focus on fostering understanding and empathy within families and neighborhoods.”
Recognizing that merely increasing police presence may not be an effective solution, the Executive Council emphasized the need to address the underlying issues that allow these acts of violence to persist. It is crucial to prevent community agitation and the culture of retribution. To this end,
the Executive Council will fully support the existing plans for a community engagement
session to be organized by the Department of Transport and Community Safety, alongside the SAPS, scheduled for later this month. This session aims to foster dialogue and collaboration among community members.
Ramathuba believes that the current actions will build upon the initiatives discussed at last year’s gender-based violence and femicide summit.
The Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster has been tasked with re-evaluating the actionable items from the summit and presenting these to the Executive Council during our ordinary meeting later this month.
The Executive Council is particularly concerned about the impact of violence on children and has recommended that the proposed action plan incorporates support for these vulnerable individuals. It will actively engage with traditional healers, traditional
leaders, faith leaders and civil society organizations to ensure a holistic approach to healing and support.
“We urge all members of the public to join us in fostering a culture of empathy, support
and understanding as we work together to combat gender-based violence and its devastating impacts on our communities,” said Ramathuba.
