Hearts and purses flow for ‘Lion Mama’

Over R54k already raised to assist mom, daughter

MORE than R54 000 has already been raised to help the “mother lioness” who allegedly stabbed to death a man and wounded two others who were allegedly gang-raping her daughter, 27, near Komani.

A lawyer has offered to represent the 56-year-old mother pro bono while ordinary citizens and non-government organisations (NGOs) have rallied behind her and offered the mother and her daughter psychological and financial support.

The mother, who cannot be named to protect the identity of her daughter who is an alleged rape victim, is out on R500 bail. The September 2 stabbing happened at an unoccupied house in the Qumbu administrative area in Zwartwater near Komani.

She and her daughter have been offered emotional support and counselling while NGOs and members of the public have offered to help the mother with her legal costs.

Cape Town resident Natalie Kendrick said when she read the story on the Daily Dispatch Twitter page, she was touched and decided to set up a generosity page, which she posted on her Facebook and Twitter accounts.

By yesterday, 93 people had donated R54 030.11 in four days.

Kendrick said she was contacted by Jackie Nagtegaal from Law for All who wanted to represent the mother at no cost.

“They have promised to channel any money raised into trauma counselling for the mother and the daughter,” she said.

Social development MEC Nancy Sihlwayi has made resources available to the young woman who told the mother her daughter was in trouble. She tried to commit suicide, saying she was being victimised by the alleged rapists’ relatives.

Masimanyane Women’s Support Centre director Lesley-Ann Foster said they would like to provide support to the mother because she has been through a traumatic situation.

“We want to offer both her and her child psychological, medical and physical support.

“We also have lawyers who will represent her in court,” she said.

Foster said since the news of the incident not much has been said about the daughter, and Masimanyane had decided to offer all the support she needed to deal with what happened.

Headman Mzukisi Sigqolana said since the Daily Dispatch first reported on the incident, his phone had been ringing non-stop with people offering to donate money towards the woman’s legal fees.

“As the community, we will hold a meeting where we will decide on how we can assist the woman to open an account where the money can be deposited,” he said.

Kendrick said if people want to donate, they could go to the generosity page at www.generosity. and follow the links.

“The money is currently being saved through them and will go straight from there into a trust set up by her lawyers once we’ve arranged the details,” she said.

The woman will appear again in the Lady Frere Magistrate’s Court on October 8. —