The family of Sibusiso Mahlangu, a man from Soshanguve who allegedly orchestrated his own death, expressed their profound pain and anger as they attended the Soshanguve magistrate’s court. Sibusiso and his wife, Lerato, made a brief appearance before the court, where their case was postponed. The couple faces charges of premeditated murder, defeating the administration of justice, and fraud in connection with the death of Lerato’s former lover.
Lerato, adorned in glamorous attire, strutted into the courtroom on Thursday with her husband trailing behind her, causing murmurs of irritation among the gallery spectators. The state requested a postponement, stating that the investigation had not yet concluded and that the DNA results were still pending.
One of Sibusiso’s sisters, who preferred to remain anonymous due to safety concerns, voiced her anguish over the deception. She revealed that Lerato had been with them during the entire week-long period of mourning, from Sunday until Saturday when they buried the supposed deceased. The sister expressed her deep distress, saying, “She saw us crying and mourning while she knew that we were mourning the wrong person.”
The family now fears for their safety, as they have become the target of community outrage. The sister lamented, “The sad part is that outside we have to pay their price. The community is raging for our blood. What did we do? We have children, and we can’t even walk with them. Our parents are distressed now.”
Speaking directly to her brother, she posed poignant questions, asking, “Why did you make us bury someone while you are alive? Why did you kill our souls? What did we do to you?”
Outside the courtroom, tensions flared between Lerato’s and Sibusiso’s families, who were once united in their grief. Accusations were exchanged, with one side accusing the other of concealing the truth. The sister expressed her bewilderment, stating, “Today I am surprised that Lerato’s family doesn’t know anything, but they were with us the whole process.”
The 35-year-old woman emotionally shared the pain of going through intense emotions for naught, realizing that her brother was alive all along. She recounted how she was pregnant at the time of Sibusiso’s supposed death, and the stress of the situation endangered her unborn child. Lerato, her sister-in-law, had identified the badly burned body as her husband’s.
“The only person who identified him is his wife. I personally went to the mortuary. He was badly burnt. When they showed me him, I cried and said, ‘This is not my brother.’ But they insisted it was the same person they took from the house,” the sister revealed. Regretfully, she added, “We buried him. If only I had listened to my gut at that time.”
As the court proceedings unfolded, the family struggled to comprehend the pain Sibusiso had inflicted upon them. One of his sisters, speaking on behalf of the family, disclosed that a year ago, they had done everything they thought was necessary to provide their brother with a dignified burial. Now, they face the unimaginable reality that he had plotted his own death, causing immeasurable anguish for those who loved him.
The case has left the family grappling with a mix of emotions, including anger, confusion, and profound sadness. They must now navigate the legal process while trying to heal from the betrayal inflicted upon them by their own flesh and blood. As the court case proceeds, the family seeks justice and closure, hoping to find solace in the truth and to rebuild their shattered lives.
