Latest news with #LikhonaFose
IOL News
17 hours ago
- IOL News
Mourners gather to pay tribute to murdered child, Likhona Fose
Scores of community members of Durban Deep, Roodepoort and anti-GBV organisations came out in their numbers to support the grieving family of 14-year-old Likhona Fose, who was mutilated and killed in the area. Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers City of Joburg Mayor, Dada Morero has called on the police to find the people responsible for murdering Likhona Fose, 14. Fose, a Grade 8 pupil at Ikusasalethu Secondary School in Braamfischerville, was found dead with her body mutilated in an empty field on Sunday, 1 June 2025, sparking reports of possible muthi and hate crime-related murder. On Thursday, Morero joined scores of mourners, including family, friends, learners from various schools and members of the Johannesburg City Council and MEC for education, Matome Chiloane and other officials who mourned the tragic manner in which the child died. The memorial service held at the Nkone Maruping Primary School in Braamfischerville attracted throngs of sympathisers who decried the scourge of GBVF and other violent crimes against women and children. The discovery of Fose's mutilated body coincided with Child Protection Week which started on May 29 and ended on Thursday. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Speaking to the mourners gathered at the Nkone Maruping Primary School, also in Braamfischerville, Morero said those responsible for Fose's death and who deal with body parts of young people will never be rich. "Body parts will not make you rich. We want to tell our people that to get rich they must wake up in the morning and work hard. It is painful to lose a child like this. As the city, we are here to comfort the family. Your child was killed by criminals, and I hope the police will do everything in their power to find the perpetrator so that justice is done," he said. On Wednesday, former Chief of the JMPD, David Tembe, who visited the family indicated that the JMPD and other law enforcement agencies would prioritise police visibility in the area. "This is no longer business as usual. The brutal murder of Likhona Fose has shaken the soul of our city. As the Public Safety leadership, we are declaring war on crime as we will be unleashing every tactical unit on the killers. "We are coming for those who think our children are targets. Johannesburg will not be a playground for criminals. We owe Likhona justice, we owe our people safety and we will deliver, no compromise, no retreat," he stated.
IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
Community outraged as family suspects hate crime in murder of Durban Deep pupil Likhona Fose
Scores of community members of Durban Deep, Roodepoort, and anti-GBV organisations came out in their numbers to support the grieving family of 14-year-old Likhona Fose, who was brutally mutilated and killed in the area this past week. Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers City of Joburg Speaker, Nobuhle Mthembu and Executive Strategic Advisor to the MMC for Public Safety, David Tembe, visited the family of 14-year-old Likhona Fose, who was brutally murdered in Durban Deep, Roodepoort. Following the harrowing murder of 30-year-old Olorato Mongale, Joburg residents woke up on Sunday to news that Likhona's lifeless body was discovered by a passer-by in the veld in Durban Deep, on the West Rand, with her genitals removed. Reports indicate that the family suspects hate crime to be the motive in the murder of the Grade 8 pupil, who identified as a lesbian. Tembe, who was greeted to protesting community members and anti-GBV activists, extended his condolences to the bereaved family, stating: "Her tragic and brutal killing, suspected to be linked to occult practices, has shaken the community. The city stands with the family during this time of immense grief, reaffirming its commitment to fighting heinous crimes and protecting the most vulnerable." Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Speaking to the grieving family, Mthembu decried the increase in the number of gender-based violence (GBV) cases in the country. "What laws need to be changed in this country so that we can feel protected? Every day, we wake up to something. Who must we apologise to so that this can stop? We can celebrate the country's democracy, but this democracy is not working for us women because we are the ones who are being killed," she said. MMC for Public Safety, Dr Mgcini Tshwaku, also extended his support to the family and the entire Durban Deep community, saying the city stands with them following Tembe's visit to the family. "We reaffirm our commitment to fighting heinous crimes and protecting the most vulnerable members of our society. The Strategic Advisor to the MMC for Public Safety, David Tembe, visited the family to offer support and condolences. The city will collaborate with law enforcement agencies to ensure a thorough investigation and bring perpetrators to justice," Tshwaku said.
IOL News
2 days ago
- General
- IOL News
Community rallies in grief for Likhona Fose as officials confront rising violence
Scores of community members of Durban Deep, Roodepoort, and anti-GBV organisations came out in their numbers to support the grieving family of 14-year-old Likhona Fose, who was brutally mutilated and killed in the area this past week. Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers On Tuesday, City of Joburg Speaker, Nobuhle Mthembu and Executive Strategic Advisor to the MMC for Public Safety, David Tembe, visited the family of 14-year-old Likhona Fose, who was brutally murdered and violated in Durban Deep, Roodepoort. Following the harrowing murder of 30-year-old Olorato Mongale, Joburg residents woke up on Sunday to news that Likhona's lifeless body was discovered by a passer-by in the veld in Durban Deep, on the West Rand, with her genitals removed. Reports indicate that the family suspects hate crime to be the motive in the murder of the Grade 8 pupil, who identified as a lesbian. Tembe, who was greeted to protesting community members and anti-GBV activists, extended his condolences to the bereaved family, stating: "Her tragic and brutal killing, suspected to be linked to occult practices, has shaken the community. The city stands with the family during this time of immense grief, reaffirming its commitment to fighting heinous crimes and protecting the most vulnerable." Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Speaking to the grieving family, Mthembu decried the increase in the number of gender-based violence (GBV) cases in the country. "What laws need to be changed in this country so that we can feel protected? Every day, we wake up to something. Who must we apologise to so that this can stop? We can celebrate the country's democracy, but this democracy is not working for us women because we are the ones who are being killed," she said. MMC for Public Safety, Dr Mgcini Tshwaku, also extended his support to the family and the entire Durban Deep community, saying the city stands with them following Tembe's visit to the family. "We reaffirm our commitment to fighting heinous crimes and protecting the most vulnerable members of our society. The Strategic Advisor to the MMC for Public Safety, David Tembe, visited the family to offer support and condolences. The city will collaborate with law enforcement agencies to ensure a thorough investigation and bring perpetrators to justice," Tshwaku said.
News24
4 days ago
- General
- News24
‘We found her naked' – Family of 14-year-old girl distraught after discovering her missing body
The week is off to a gruesome start for the Fose family. After two days of looking for their daughter, their relief is accompanied by grief. Likhona Fose was found brutally murdered in phase 4, Braamfischerville in Roodepoort. The 14-year-old was last seen on Saturday around 8pm when she was believed to be headed to a party. Speaking to Drum, her cousin, Mthobeli Fose, says her leaving home at the time was nothing out of the ordinary. Read more | 71-year-old woman in Lusikisiki killed in a suspected arson attack - 'We're scared' says family 'She often goes out with her friends at night. Her friends are all boys, and she's never just disappeared. I was not home for the weekend. I went to visit my sister in Daveyton and only found out on Sunday around 2pm, when I got home, that she's been missing since Saturday.' Likhona lived with Mthobeli and their grandmother after her mother passed away. As soon as she could, Mthobeli alerted the community of Likhona missing and even went to her friends to find out if they knew anything about her whereabouts. 'Her friends all denied being with her on Saturday, but they mentioned something about her other friends from phase 4 who are also still at large.' Their neighbour, Nomsa Mokoena, recounts the events leading up to her body's discovery. We went to all her friends to look for her. We have a WhatsApp group chat where someone posted about a body of a child dumped in phase 4, Braamfischerville. We went there and confirmed that it was her.' Read more | Main suspect killed, two on the run in Olorato Mongale's murder case Having been the first on the scene, Mthobeli admits that her heart broke to pieces, seeing her cousin lying there naked and possibly raped. 'She loved school and was brilliant at school.' Reminiscing on the kind of child she was, their neighbour, Nomsa tells Drum how respectful Likhona was. 'She was very respectful. She would never pass you on the road without greeting you.' The family and community await postmortem results as their extended family from the Eastern Cape makes their way to Gauteng for funeral arrangements. The Gauteng Department of Education has urgently deployed its psycho-social support unit to her school, Ikusasalethu Secondary School, to provide extensive counselling and trauma support to learners and teachers who may have been affected.
The Herald
4 days ago
- Health
- The Herald
Body of missing Joburg schoolgirl Likhona Fose, 14, found in veld
Gauteng education MEC Matome Chiloane on Monday sent the department's psychosocial support team to offer trauma counselling to classmates and teachers who knew Likhona Fose, who was found murdered at the weekend. The 14-year-old grade 8 pupil at Ikusasalethu Secondary School in Braamfischerville, Johannesburg, is understood to have lived with her grandmother. She went missing on Saturday and her mutilated body was found in the veld at Durban Deep, Roodepoort, on Sunday. 'While police are still investigating the circumstances surrounding this brutal incident, we are devastated by Likhona's death during National Child Protection Week, where we raise awareness of the rights of children as articulated in our constitution. 'As the department, we cannot begin to express how disheartened we are by the loss of Likhona, a young girl learner who had a bright future ahead of her. For her life to have been taken from her in such a brutal manner is unacceptable and we call on law enforcement authorities to speedily apprehend those responsible. 'We extend our sincerest condolences to the family and the school community of Ikusasalethu Secondary, assuring them we share their pain,' said Chiloane. TimesLIVE
