Poisoned brothers laid to rest

Hundreds of learners and members of the Ratanda community gathered to bid farewell to siblings Lehlohonolo Khoabane, Katleho Khoabane and youngest Teboho Ngcongwane at the Ratanda Multipurpose on Saturday (June 4).

The boys died of poisoning a week earlier when their father laced a drink and gave it to all five of his children. The three boys succumbed to the lethal poison while attending school, leaving their fellow classmates and teachers traumatized. The fourth sibling was fortunately rushed to the hospital and is still recovering.

Only one of the children did not consume the concoction. Their father has been arrested after he was found unconscious by police after a failed suicide attempt.

The Khoabane and Ngcongwane families were also comforted by the mayors of Lesedi and Sedibeng, including other leaders from the Heidelberg Taxi Association, local politicians and clergymen from various churches.

Lesedi Municipality’s executive mayor, Mluleki Nkosi said the community has lost three possible messiahs.
“The loss of the Khoabane siblings has left an indelible mark to our community. Domestic violence is a pandemic. No matter how cool, how silent you are, this is domestic violence,” he said.

The mayor also said that in this difficult time, the residents of Ratanda came together to not only support the bereaved family, but to each other.
He appealed to the community to return to the ward-based street committees that were very active in fighting crime and social ills back in the day.

Sedibeng District executive mayor, Lerato Maloka, also extended her condolences on behalf of local government.

Gauteng MEC for Education Panyaza Lesufi, spoke and offered his condolences to the families, the schools and the community said that government must find a way to stop the sale of the popular rat poison known as Halipirimi in communities.

The poison known as Aldicarb, an illegal pesticide that also goes by names such as ‘Two Step’ and in Sotho, ‘Halipirimi’ is originally used for agricultural purposes; can be found widely sold around taxi ranks and by street vendors countrywide.

“Is it not time that this poison called halephirimi is restricted and is not made easily available in our communities? We can’t allow this poison to finish all of us,” said Lesufi.

He requested the people in attendance to send their prayers to the recovering sibling.

He also thanked the Ratanda community in uniting and showing love to each other at this time of need.