Pretoria - The student community in Pretoria has suffered another blow after Mabutho Jenamo, 18, was killed during a mugging incident that took place in Mamelodi East last week.
On Tuesday as he and his friends were on their way home from orientation day at Reneilwe Community Learning Centre, they were attacked by a group of men, who took his phone and wallet as well as his friend’s belongings.
Jenamo was also stabbed and killed in the altercation. A holder of a karate black belt, he did not easily give in to the criminals, fighting back and beating the four thugs before succumbing to a stabbing.
Witnesses reported the incident to the police, who acted speedily and arrested all four men alleged to have killed Jenamo.
They appeared in the Mamelodi Magistrate’s Court the next day and were due back in court on Wednesday.
Members of the community went in numbers to the court appearance, waiting outside with placards demanding “No bail” and “Justice must prevail.”
A community member who did not want to be named said: “This killing sent shock waves across the community, as the young man was well known and an inspiration to children in his area, constantly encouraging them to engage in sport.
“His family is devastated, especially his mother, because they were inseparable and enjoyed spending time together, and the karate fraternity has lost one of its best black belt members.”
Jenamo was also described as a handsome, angelic, brilliant, respectful and calm by the mother of one his friends who looked up to him.
“He was excellent in martial arts, a great son and an awesome brother,” said the woman, adding: “My son came back from his house after he went to fetch him to go to the gym together.
“I have never seen my son so distraught, he cried uncontrollably and at that moment I could not take away his pain. At nine years old he lost a good big brother and friend, someone who introduced him to his happy place, martial arts.”
Minister of Higher Education Science and Technology Dr Blade Nzimande said it was a sad day in the country when a youngster with great potential loses his life to criminality.
Jenamo was buried on Saturday at a funeral attended by family, many community members and friends.
His death came as Police Minister Bheki Cele revealed that more people were murdered during the last policing statistics period, with 6 424 murders marking an increase of 664, compared with the same period last year.
The death of Jenamo follows that of 20-year-old Tsireledzo Mphaphuli from Eersterust, who was murdered by passengers in an e-hailing vehicle he was driving at the end of last year.
Only one of three suspects was arrested for his fatal stabbing.
In another case, student Thapelo Menwe, 23, died after being shot in Hatfield in September last year. He was in his post-graduate year of internal auditing at the University of Pretoria.
He was walking back to his residence when he was approached from behind by a man wielding a gun.
CCTV footage revealed that Menwe appeared to refuse to hand over his valuables and the attacker shot him in the upper body. The attacker then rifled through his pockets and stole his cellphone and ran away.
Pretoria News