Cape Town - It has been about five months since the kidnapping and murder of eight-year-old Lukhololwam Mkontwana –and his family has received no answers to date.
As thousands of children returned to school last month, Mkontwana’s family’s fresh wounds were reopened.
The eight-year-old’s body was found in September last year dumped near Botha Farm in Philippi, with his hands and feet bound. There was also sellotape wrapped around his face.
This was a few days after he was kidnapped by men who allegedly tricked him into going with them in a vehicle while he was playing with his friends a few metres from his home.
The kidnappers made a phone call to Lukhololwam’s mother, Noxolo Mkontwana, and allegedly demanded R100000 for the boy’s safe return.
However, the 32-year-old mother could only send R1000, and that was the last time she heard from them.
Lukhololwam’s grandmother, who asked not to be named due to fear as the perpetrators have not been arrested, said they were still seeking answers as to what really happened.
“If maybe there were people taken in for questioning or arrests, we could get some closure. However, I feel like we are still far from getting answers, because I have not heard if there were good leads being followed to give us hope. We don’t know how the people knew Noxolo’s number, because Lukhololwam didn’t know it.
“You have seen our living conditions; we would have never been able to even pay R50000 ransom, so we don’t know the motive, which is scary. We are just praying that one day justice will be served for our child,” she said.
She said the mother was still struggling to cope or accept that her son was no more.
“She constantly thinks about him and the fears he must have gone through. She has lost a lot of weight, and she’s trying to heal, but it’s understandably hard.
Lukhololwam enjoyed going to school; he would have been excited to go back and see his friends this academic year. Even during the December holidays, it was hard. We all miss him so much,” his grandmother said.
Another family still grieving and also seeking justice is that of Paarl East girl Tamia ‘Mia’ Botha.
The four-year-old’s bruised body was found dumped in a field near a primary school, also on September 26, after she disappeared from in front of her home the previous day.
In October it was reported that a new investigator had been appointed to probe the case, after two men were taken in for questioning, but released.
This left the community fuming. This left the community fuming in anger.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said: “The matters you are referring to are still under investigation, and there are no new developments to report at this stage.”
Anyone with information on the cases can anonymously contact Crime Stop at 08600 1011.
Cape Times