Everson Luhanga
The family of Lebo Monene, an Assistant Nurse at the Tembisa Hospital who was shot dead by her policeman husband on Wednesday, said the two had been locked in an abusive relationship for years.
Lebo’s brother Daniel Thubekgale told Scrolla.Africa that their relationship had grown so volatile that Lebo had to move out of their house to stay at her family home in Ebony Park near Tembisa Ekurhuleni.
“There is the history of abuse in her relationship that made her move back to stay in a family home,” Daniel said.
Lebo was shot dead inside Tembisa Hospital yard on Wednesday morning by her boyfriend who turned the gun on himself. He shot himself in the head and he was airlifted to the Milpark Mediclinic where he has been receiving treatment.
Daniel said the family was distraught by the nature of his sister’s death.
“She was a young and energetic woman. She was always smiling and wore her uniform with pride.”
He said the family knew the man as a boyfriend.
“Her relationship was toxic and whenever they quarrel, the man would threaten her by saying, ‘Where is my gun? I want to shoot you’.”
Daniel said that after Lebo and her boyfriend, a constable at the Ekurhuleni North District, her family tried to resolve their differences with the policeman’s family.
“We had had meetings with her partner’s family to sort their differences but it seems the issues were deeper.
Daniel said Lebo was a happy soul who loved her children and her family.
“She always put on a smile beside her marital troubles,” he said.
One colleague who didn’t want to be named said that Lebo’s boyfriend was possessive and constantly bullied her.
Later on Wednesday, Gauteng Health MEC Dr. Nomathemba Mokgethi visited the family to pay her respects to the slain nurse.
Speaking to the media, the MEC said the government will look into security features to make sure that both patients and staff members are safe on hospital premises.
Gauteng Chairperson of the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA), Simphiwe Gada, said they are ready to work with the government to make sure nurses are protected.
Gauteng provincial police spokeswoman Brigadier Brenda Muridili said police are investigating cases of murder and attempted murder.
