Heartbroken mom describes trauma of magistrate daughter’s drive-by slaying

Unidentified occupants [in the double cab] started shooting at the family vehicle ... the husband, who was driving, did not stop, but proceeded to a nearby hospital for medical attention

The shocked family of a slain Eastern Cape magistrate have pleaded for those behind the murder to be brought to book.

“We want to know why they did this,” family spokesperson Mpumelelo Phatho said on Monday.

“We don’t know why the family was shot at.

“We don’t know them as people who had a grudge against anyone. We hope the killers will be arrested.”

On Sunday, Eastern Cape police reported that Buliswa Tsekiphatho, 38, had died in a hail of bullets when the car she was travelling in with her husband, Thandinkosi Phatho, and their two children aged 10 and 13, was fired at by unknown gunmen in Nomlacu village, Mbizana, on Saturday evening.

Police spokesperson Brig Tembinkosi Kinana said the family had been driving with Tseki-phatho’s mother, Nontathu Tseki.

On their way back from dropping Tseki off, as they approached Nomlacu village near Faith Mission Church, a white double-cab Ford Ranger appeared and the driver seemed to be attempting to overtake them.

“Unidentified occupants [in the double cab] started shooting at the family vehicle.”

Kinana said Tseki-phatho, a magistrate at the emaxesibeni (formerly Mount Ayliff) court, was killed.

Her husband sustained serious gunshot wounds in the lower and upper body and their 13-year-old son is also shot and wounded.

The couple’s 10-year-old daughter was unharmed.

“It is said the husband, who was driving, did not stop, but proceeded to a nearby hospital for medical attention.”

Kinana said a case of murder and three of attempted murder had been opened.

Acting provincial police commissioner Major-general Thandiswa Kupiso set up a task team to track down the killers while also ordering a 72-hour mobilisation plan for speedy arrests. By Monday, Kinana confirmed no arrests had been made.

The national ministry of justice & correctional services reacted to the killing with shock.

Asked if the magistrate’s murder could have been linked to her work, the ministry’s spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, would not speculate.

“The matter is still under investigation.”

However, he said the ministry was deeply concerned “and saddened by this killing, and urges police to leave no stone unturned”.

Tseki-phato’s mother said she was devastated.

The shooting took place within a kilometre of her home, moments after they had dropped her off.

“I got a call at about 8pm from my son Siyabonga saying he’d had a call from [my youngest grandchild] saying that they were being shot at.

“He said he was coming to me and as soon as he arrived we rushed to the scene, but [the child] called again, saying they were at St Patrick’s Hospital.

“She said her mother, father and [brother] had been shot.”

Tseki said when they reached the hospital, she found her granddaughter traumatised.

Her grandson had been shot in the stomach and her son-inlaw had been shot twice in the waist and once in the ankle.

“[My grandson] could talk, but his father could not speak properly, possibly due to shock.”

She said she had then been informed that her daughter had died. Tseki had no idea why anyone would want to kill her daughter.

“I am just heartbroken. When they dropped me at home, we never saw anything suspicious. We suspect the gunmen were hiding somewhere close.

“I am too distraught.”

She said she was so upset she had to be taken to a doctor herself.