Socialite shoots wife, himself in front of kids
MBABANE – Another day, another case of gender based violence GBV leading to loss of life
Barely seven days after the shooting of five women, leaving four of them dead, a family was grieving follow ing the death of one of their own in the same manner. Another family is also grieving as their member, the perpetrator, then turned the gun on himself and died and this happened in the presence of two children. The woman, 1osipho 'ube , lost her life on )riday night after being shot allegedly by her husband.
The husband has been identified as 0andiso Khanyile, a year old who was well known in the social circles of 0an]ini. The incident is said to have happened at 1gwane Park in 0an]ini and after shooting his wife twice, Kh anyile then pointed the gun at himself.
According to sources, the two have been having challenges in their mar riage, but would now and again work things out. On the fateful )riday night, the couple is alleged to have had an argument whose details cannot be shared for ethical reasons.
,t was claimed that as they argued, the wife threatened to take their two children and leave, something which angered the husband who is said to have told her that she was not going to leave with them.
A fight allegedly ensued, with the wife trying to take the children away to ensure their safety and it was at that moment that the husband allegedly shot her and later turned the gun on himself.
)or the better part of yesterday, friends of the couple were sharing their grief on social media platform )acebook, describing how they could not come to terms with what had hap pened. Some posted that they could not believe that Khanyile could do such, as he was known as a fun loving calm person. The couple, some of the friends said, was well known around 1gwane Park as they would be seen looking happy together. ,t was also gathered that they recently had a beau tiful traditional wedding ceremony and also loved their children.
&hief Police ,nformation and &om munications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed the mat ter. Vilakati pleaded with members of the public to refrain from gun violence and said a person who felt they could not handle their guns anymore should feel free to take them to the nearest police station. Efforts to get comments from family members were not suc cessful, as they said they could not say anything regarding the incident.
On 0onday, the nation woke up to the news that a married deputy sheriff had allegedly shot dead his girlfriend and three other females in her flat at GoMe Township in E]ulwini.
The incident occurred last Saturday night and a fifth woman survived the shooting and is recuperating at one of the hospitals in the country.
Among the killed women was a sister to the deputy sheriff’s girlfriend. Two of the women were buried yester day while one was cremated. The oth er one is expected to be buried today.
)or Tuite some time, activists and or ganisatiosn such as the Swatini Action Group Against Abuse S:AGAA have called for the country’s authorities to declare GBV a national emergency.
DISTURBED
At the memorial service of one of the four women allegedly shot by the deputy sheriff, S:AGAA Pro grammes Officer +lobsile 'lamini was at pains describing how she was disturbed by the two incidents.
“,t is painful that , stand here at this memorial when earlier today we received the news of yet another death of a woman at the hands of a man who is supposed to protect her,´ she said referring to the incident of the socialite and his wife.
The organisation has always argued that there was a need to revamp the Mustice system in the country even if it means setting up specialised courts that will Must deal with sexual and
GBV cases. Another argument has been that while the country now has the comprehensive Sexual Offences and 'omestic Violence Act of , its implementation has not been wide spread.
The argument has been that there have been cases where perpetrators have received suspended sentences for serious GBV crimes. 0eanwhile, results of a study published by the &ambridge 8niversity Press in -uly this year reflected that GBV incidents over whelmingly involved overkill, with the assailant using inordinately high levels of aggression against the victim.
,t was stated that male sexual Meal ousy, rage over the female partner’s abrogation of the relationship, and interpersonal disputes of variable origin were the maMor precipitants.
A recommendation was made that deterrent sentences should be used to teach assaulters and would be as saulters that society does not tolerate assaultive behaviour within intimate relationships.
“0ore resources should be provided for women who are victims of do mestic violence. This should include legal aid, financial resources and refuges for women in danger and their children. 0easures should be taken to control the proliferation of firearms in society,´ it was mentioned in the recommendations.