Stabbing ritual goes wrong!

WHEN her first-born son Mfundo Mphelane was stabbed to death in 2002, she performed a ritual to prevent further stabbing deaths.

Mfundo's mum Thembi Mphalane thought no one else in her family would ever die from stabbing again.

But on Monday, 11 March, her other son suffered the same fate.

Mum loses another son

Tshepo Mphelane (37) from Duduza, Ekurhuleni was stabbed to death on Monday, 11 March by a friend after an alleged argument over drugs.

Tshepo died on his way to hospital.

The worried mum is starting to question if ever the first ritual was done correctly.

"I suspect we didn't do the ritual right. Things are getting worse because this is the second person after my late first-born son to die violently," she said.

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Family keeps losing loved ones

"My late first-born child's 14-year-son was also killed after being knocked down by a car a few years after his father's death. I'm worried and wish this could be done properly to avoid further deaths," she said.

But the mum said she was grateful to have seen her son for the last time before he was killed.

On the night Tshepo was killed, she said he was home early to eat supper with them.

Tshepo Mphelane, who was allegedly killed over drugs.

"After eating supper, he hugged some of us, family members, and said: 'Salani Kahle'.

Thembi said this left her with questions as it was not something he used to say.

"He used to say bye, not salani kahle," said Thembi.

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The call that changed everything

Two hours after Tshepo had left home, his mum understood why he was saying that.

Tshepo's mum was called to the scene by one of Tshepo's friends, who saw him as he was taken by the ambulance.

Tshepo was allegedly stabbed over drugs by his friend after the two had fought.

"We rushed to the hospital and while there we were told my son had passed away. I'm heartbroken," said the mother.

Remembering Tshepo

She said drugs had turned her son into a hobo.

"He was a very neat someone and kept his room and the garden very well-kempt. But after he got into drugs, he became something else. His neat room turned into dumping site, with him picking up every piece of rubbish to keep in there. This alone indicated that he wasn't okay," she said.

She said as they were cleaning his room after his death, a small truck had to be hired to take all the rubbish to the dumping site.

Ekurhuleni District police spokesman Warrant Officer Jacob Mashile said a murder case was opened and a suspect was arrested.