Cape Town - A devastated family are seeking justice for their beloved son who was allegedly murdered by his girlfriend.
Lumko Mfihlelwa, 36, died on February 19 and his uncle Msindisi Msuthu said they have not heard anything from the police since.
“The police came on the night of the incident but after that they didn’t come back to take the witness statements.
“We have been waiting for them since then, we know the suspect was taken into custody and the following morning she was out of jail,” Msuthu said.
“This is not fair because now that this is reversed gender-based violence the police are dragging their feet, I am not lying when I say the detective didn’t come back to us.”
The couple lived together in Philippi and share a young daughter.
The uncle recalled the version of the story he heard from a witness: “He was lying next to his daughter when he was stabbed once in the chest by his girlfriend.
“According to a witness, Lumko had just arrived at his house when his neighbour asked for beer, he said he wanted to get his daughter first and then he was going to give the neighbour money.
“Lumko took his daughter from his girlfriend, laid a blanket on the floor and was spending time with his child.
“The suspect fought with him because of that. She went to the drawer and pulled out a kitchen knife and stabbed him in the heart.
“She told the police they were having an argument, and she took the knife from him and they listened to that and didn’t speak to the eyewitness. How does that work?”
Msuthu told the Cape Argus they don’t know how to get justice for Mfihlelwa.
“His father is in the Eastern Cape and I am the only one who is here and the police know where to get me but they have not yet called me.
“I don’t know what to do here but I would like to help with this case, if there are any organisations that can assist with the case, it has been three months and nothing has happened.”
SAPS spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said that a 33-year-old woman has been charged with Mfihlelwa’s murder.
“Philippi East police members was busy with patrols on Sunday 19 February 2023 when the responded to a complaint at Lentegeur District Hospital. Upon arrival they found the body of a 36-year-old man who sustained a stab wound.
“The victim was declared deceased by the medical personnel. Police arrested and detained a 33-year-old female on a charge of murder.“