By Anita Dangazele
Masibulele Nqoleko, a 17-year-old learner from Ncuncuzo Senior Secondary School in Cofimvaba allegedly broke into a home where he stole money to pay school fees.
According to his aunt Nosipho Mkoko, Masibulele admitted that he stole money to pay school fees and bought himself school clothes and other necessities.
But he has paid with his life. Months after the incident, Masibulele was allegedly rounded up and beaten by members of the KwaSijula traditional council. He died on 30 June.
“I heard from his cousins who are in the same class as him that he couldn’t proceed to the next grade because he hadn’t had his school report. I asked him and he told me the school said he still owed school fees for the previous year and that he owed them for Typek printing paper,” she said.
“Later I heard that he admitted to breaking in and stole money to pay school fees and for the paper, and that he bought school trousers and had a haircut.”
His mother, Phindeka Nqoleko, said she was called to the local traditional leader’s homestead where the beating allegedly took place.
“When I got there, I was told to take my dog and go. He fell as we were leaving the homestead, and they poured water over him and the beating continued until he died.”
Masibulele’s mother is unemployed and survives by doing piece jobs in the village.
Eastern Cape Police spokesperson Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa confirmed that the deceased was suspected to be involved in a housebreaking.
“A group of community members allegedly assaulted him, and he succumbed to his injuries,” Mawisa said.
She said three men aged between 35 and 65 were arrested for Masibulele’s murder, and appeared at the Tsomo Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
The National Prosecuting Authority in the province was not immediately available to comment on the outcome of the bail hearing.
EC Education spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima said withholding a learner’s progress report is against the law.
“It infringes the learner’s right to education. The school should not have done that. The mother was supposed to make an arrangement to pay the school,” Mtima said.
He said the department would follow up with the Cofimvaba district office.
The Nqoleko family is asking for donations to lay their son to rest. The family hopes to bury Masibulele on Saturday, 13 July.
Pictured above: Masibulele Nqoleko, 17, who was beaten to death by community members.
Source: Supplied
