Mothers mourn death of children
HE SENT her a text message that read, “Sorry my love, you can’t see the children any more”, before he killed himself, and that was the beginning of a nightmare for 31-year-old Dikeledi Mosana, who was soon to discover the man had killed her children.
Three boys, aged 3, 4 and 12, had been kidnapped by the 40-year-old man on New Year’s Eve, and after he sent the message last Monday, their charred remains were discovered in a burnt car in a bush the following day.
When she spoke to the Pretoria News at the weekend, the mother said she was only able to speak about the ordeal because a doctor had given her medication.
“It has somehow lifted the huge, depressing cloud off my shoulders,” she said.
The distraught woman lost her sons, aged 4 and 12, while her cousin Maria Mosana lost her 3-year-old boy, who was with them.
France Chauke was their father, and an uncle to the youngest, the two shocked mothers told the Pretoria News,
The incident had left them with untold pain and sadness.
Dikeledi said she was emotionally broken over stressing about what had happened to the children because she was on good terms with the man, who had married her traditionally a few years ago.
“I am puzzled by this whole thing, I cannot bring myself to understand why he did this. When he sent me that SMS, I called him hoping to understand what he meant but his phone went straight to voicemail.”
Fraught grandmother Maria Mosana, whose daughter is the mother of the 3-yearold, was with them, and she said it was beyond belief.
“The children lived here with me. When my son-in-law came to fetch them he was friendly and kind as normal. He told them to go for a stroll with him, and that was the last time I saw the children. They were not even wearing shoes.
“I must say, the gruesome deaths of my grandchildren, killed by my own son-in-law, have made me afraid of lobola and marriage.”
Police spokesperson Kay Makhubela said the mother had reported the children missing on Monday, and then a passer-by, who stumbled on the burnt-out car and horrific contents on Tuesday, led the police to the site.
Supportive neighbours Joyce Chili, Silvia Mashishi and Violet Makhudu said as women and mothers, they were hurt by what had happened to the Mosana family.
Chili said: “We are supporting the hurting family and we know they do not have the means to bury these children. We wish they could get help from the community at large before the children are released from the mortuary.”
The family said they would have coffins, but could not afford other expenses.
Neighbours said they needed help with tents, food, chairs and transport to the local graveyard because they expected hundreds of mourners at the funeral.
They said any person or, organisation or government department wishing to assist with the funeral arrangements was encouraged to contact Chili on 071 273 7763 or, Mashishi on 073 743 7 597 or Makhudu on 076 923 8171.