By Buziwe Nocuze
A 16-year-old teenager was killed when he tried to intervene in a fight between his mother and her estranged husband.
Zipho Mpazwa had followed his stepfather to his room after the man, who had left his family, forcefully grabbed a bag from his wife.
Speaking to Scrolla.Africa, the mother from Tabisa Mpazwa Eerste River in Cape Town said she still can’t believe the man she loved and trusted for six years had killed her son.
“I am devastated. We have challenges in our marriage and in a process for divorce because things didn’t work out but I didn’t know he would take things this far.”
Tabisa said her husband had moved out of their home a month earlier. He came back on Tuesday, 25October, saying he would grant her a divorce if she paid him R400,000 and gave him a car.
“I told him that I would never give him money and the car because I have been staying with him and his son for six years, maintaining both of them because he was not working.”
During load-shedding on the same day, she decided to take her kids somewhere else.
“I wanted them to be far from him because I could see how angry and rude he was, and I didn’t want my kids to be in such an environment.”
She went into their bedroom to get the bag to pack her children’s clothes but she said the man wouldn’t let her take it.
That’s when Zipho first tried to intervene, asking his stepfather to give his mother the bag.
“I got the bag and left for another room to pack for my boys,” said the mother. But after a few minutes, the estranged husband allegedly came, grabbed the bag, and ran back to his room.
Her son saw his stepdad and went after him to ask why he took the bag when he could see his mother was busy with the bag.
“I went after my son to my husband’s room and heard him asking why is he taking the bag back because he thought they had resolved the bag issues,” she said.
That’s when the man allegedly grabbed a knife and stabbed the boy in the back.
“We fought until I had the knife, calling the other boys to go and call for help and help.” Zipho was already on the floor.
Zipho was rushed to hospital where he died the same day.
“I am in so much pain, and I am numb,” said his mother. “I hope my son will get justice because he didn’t deserve to die over a bag.”
Sergeant Wesley Twigg, Western Cape SAPS spokesperson, said a 46-year-old man had been arrested concerning Zipho’s murder.
Pictured above: Murdered Zipho Mpazwa
