Everson Luhanga
Most of her body was covered in tattoos. But Palesa Matlamela did not arrange them because she liked them. She was covering scars of pain and abuse from the man who was supposed to love and protect her.
On Sunday night, she was assaulted so badly by her boyfriend that she was rushed to hospital. This time, Palesa would not have a chance to cover her scars. She succumbed to her injuries.
Her boyfriend, Sylvester Roy Mphephu, allegedly beat her and dumped her body at the Edenvale Hospital, where health officials told him that she was already dead.
Palesa’s mom Eunice Matlamela told Scrolla.Africa how she knew that her daughter would one day come home in a coffin.
“When I received a call from the doctors, I asked them if Sylvester had finally killed my daughter,” she said.
The mother said she was sad about the state in which her daughter was found at the hospital.
“She was bleeding from the mouth and nose. Her arms, fingers, and head were bruised and broken.
“It was like my daughter died in a serious car accident. But she was beaten up by her man. I am shattered,” she said.
Since 2017 her daughter had been going through the pain of being beaten and abused by her boyfriend, Eunice said. “She would come home in the middle of the night walking from Alexandra to Lyndhurst where I stay after being assaulted.”
She said she tried to talk her daughter out of the toxic relationship but the man, who is greatly feared in the community of Alexandra, told her that the day she dumped him would be the day he would kill her and her family.
“I had an encounter with Sylvester when he followed Palesa to my place. He threatened to kill me as well. We were all afraid of him,” she said.
After social media circulated Mphephu’s photos and a case was opened at the Sandringham police station, the man sent voice notes to his close friends stating that he would hand himself over to the police because he realised that he had killed someone.
“I know I have done something wrong and it was not my intention to kill her. I only pushed Palesa and she fell on her head. I will take myself to the police,” said the voice notes, which Scrolla.Africa has heard.
Eunice said the family has lost a loving, happy person.
Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Sello said it is alleged that the victim was beaten to death by her boyfriend.
“The suspect handed himself over to the police on Tuesday 6 September and he is expected to appear in court soon on a charge of murder. The police investigation continues.”
