POLITICS

"Tears for my abuser!" - Daily Sun

The front page and lead story of SA's largest newspaper, September 30 2013

DAILY SUN FRONT PAGE

 

Daily Sun (September 30 2013) - SISI WAS terrified of the abusive father of her child. And she went to the cop shop so they could warn him, but before she knew it, she was pleading for his life. MINUTES LATER HE WAS DEAD!

During the twelve years that Sunday Mashilwane (29) and Sisi Mtubane (30) had been together, he had beaten her up so badly that in the end she got a restraining order against him. But Sunday wanted to reconcile with his lover.

Sisi showed Daily Sun a long letter her lover had written apologising to her for the beatings. He admitted that he had a dark soul, but said he wanted to start over and be a better man. But then she found bullets in his house and Sisi was terrified.

She was worried the bullets were meant for her! Sisi panicked and called the cops to scare him. But now Sisi is crying tears for Sunday the abuser . . . because he is dead.

She said she called the Tsakane cops on Saturday because Sunday violated the protection order. "The cops came and took us to the station," said Sisi. "They took our statements but as they were taking Sunday to the holding cells, he tried to run away."

She said about 12 cops and reservists caught him at the gate and started beating him. "I shouted at the cops not to shoot him and they said they wouldn't, but they kept on hitting him," she said. Then the cops took Sunday to the holding cells . . . and five minutes later they came back and told her he was dead.

"They said he hanged himself with his belt," she said. "When I asked to see the body the police said I wasn't strong enough and I wouldn't stand the shock." She said the police started becoming worried at that stage and comforted her. She said one of the cops said he was in trouble because of Sunday. She said even though she fought with her lover, they saw each other every day.

"I loved him and he loved his child. He was looking forward to seeing his daughter grow up," she said. "We had our differences but I didn't want him to die. I just wanted the police to warn him, not to kill him."

Sunday's aunt, Zandile Msibi (49) said when they went to the mortuary to see his body, there were no marks on his neck. "We are not happy with the explanation we got from the police. There is something that they are not telling us," she said. Fikile Mashilwane (20), Sunday's younger sister, said: "A cop called me and told me that my brother had killed himself. I know my brother was stubborn but he would never have taken his own life."

Captain Petros Mabuza, spokesman for the Tsakane SAPS, denied allegations that the police had beaten Sunday. "The suspect tried to run away but the police caught him and placed him in the holding cells.

"We are investigating how he got into the holding cells with his belt and shoe laces, and have an ongoing departmental investigation and an inquest docket open," he said.

See the Daily Sun mobi site for more on this and other stories....

The Daily Sun is South Africa's largest daily newspaper with an average circulation of 287 222 (Audit Bureau of Circulations 2nd Quarter 2013) and a readership of 5.7m (as per AMPS 2012ab). Its Facebook page can be accessed here. It can be followed on Twitter here. To find about advertising on the Daily Sun click here.

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