HERDSMAN (20), PUPIL (15) FOUND DEAD IN SUSPECTED SUICIDE PACT

NHLANGANO – A couple, comprising a 15-year old-girl and her 20-year-old boyfriend, was found dead on suspicion that they jointly committed suicide in a bush at Mpatheni, near Hlatikhulu.

The girl was a Form 1 pupil at Mpatheni High School, while her alleged boyfriend was a herdsman at her homestead. It was gathered that their affair had been forbidden by their guardians. A man who was running from muggers stumbled across the lifeless bodies of the two after they disappeared from home for over two weeks. It was said that the two had been previously rebuked for the affair in the past and warned to end the relationship. Following the rebuke, it is said that the duo went missing for two weeks, prompting the community to launch a search party. The matter had also been reported to the police. Both of them were not available on local cellular networks.

Sources revealed that after two days, the duo switched on their phones and called a member of the community police, whom they told they were fine where they were. They said no one should be worried about them. “The community then called off the search party, with the hope that they would come back voluntarily,” narrated the source. A close family member who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the duo went missing on Sunday and that they called a community police member and informed him that they were fine. The family member narrated that on Saturday night, a community member was on his way to Mohioek, when he came across thugs that wanted to mug him. As he fled from them, he took another route and found himself standing in front of two dead bodies. The man is said to have gone back to the community to raise the alarm. It was said that the community members went to the scene to see the bodies, and further called the police.

Milk

The duo was found sleeping next to each other with a poisonous substance which they are feared to have ingested. Also next to the bodies were two containers of milk. According to the family member, they were found with other personal belongings, including cellphones. Mathabela, grandfather to the deceased female minor politely asked for privacy, stating that the family was still in shock and tongue-tied. “We are not ready to address the matter; we are still tongue-tied,” he said. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed that a 15-year-old and a 20-year-old who were found dead in a forest.

In an interview, Africa Regional Coordinator of the One Billion Rising Campaign Colani Hlatjwako said the news was devastating. She stated that the young generation, in her view, needed to be allowed room to express themselves and talk about things that bothered them. She stated that suicide was a serious predicament, more so because the victims usually had no one to talk to at family level. She stated that inasmuch as families reprimanded and condemned certain behaviours among children, they were supposed to leave room for the children to express themselves in the event they had personal difficulties. Hlatjwako said though it was not clear what happened in this particular case, suicide had to do with being pressed to the edge with no one to talk to. “Parents need to accept, talk to their children and listen to them,” she added. She further passed her condolences to the families. Hlatjwako stated that One Billion rising has introduced youth groups, where the youth was able to talk about issues affecting them.

.. parents need to change tune – Ndo

NHLANGANO – Psychologist Ndo Mdlalose says the youth hastily takes suicidal decisions without exploring other options. She stated that they normally act this way while trying to pay revenge to their parents, assuming they would survive the suicide bid. She added that other people were attached to a person regardless of class because they were not getting love or attention at home or school. This leaves them with no one to talk to. “You will find that this one person is giving them that personal attention to the point that they feel they do not want to lose such a person,” she added. She said most of the young children had bad behaviours, unaware of the consequences. She added that parents needed to have a different approach towards their children, who were dating, to minimise such incidents.

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