'Cops not to blame for Kekana's death'
19 October 2009, 10:20
Police shooting victim Olga Kekana's father stood with his hand over his face, as a member of Parliament used his daughter's funeral to tell them not to lose faith in the police.
Frans Makgotla appeared distant during the ceremony in Stinkwater, north of Pretoria, on Saturday, when his 29-year-old daughter was laid to rest. Kekana's mother, Johannah, and sister, Kate, silently wiped tears away.
Kekana was killed a week ago when police allegedly mistook the car she and three friends were travelling in for a hijacked vehicle.
The young hairdresser was shot through the head while in the back seat of South African Air Force pilot Captain Simon Mathibela's grey Toyota Conquest.
One of her friends, Andre Singo, was shot in the hand and thigh, while another, Sofie Kgagara, was hit in the chest.
While a police vehicle stood outside the cemetery on Saturday, metro police regulated the traffic that included pedestrians, three buses and mourners in private vehicles.
The ceremony started at the family house, where the hearse with Kekana's picture pasted on the windows stood outside. As she had died violently, her body was not brought inside the yard.
The reverend told the more than 200 people that God saw their pain, and knew they were hurt.
At the cemetery, Makgotla threw sand into the grave. He then quickly turned away.
Kekana's cousin, Lucas Matlala, said of her friends involved in the accident, only Mathibela was at the funeral, as Kgagara was still in hospital and Singo with his family in Diepsloot.
"The whole message is that although we are angry, today is about honouring Olga," said Matlala.
The crowd mumbled in agreement when ANC MP Angie Molebatsi said she knew this was difficult for friends and family.
However, they soon fell quiet as she accused the media of reporting "only what suits them" and told mourners not to be "disrupted" by the media.
"One way or another, we are all going to die, regardless of whether a cop shoots you or you were ill," Molebatsi said.
She said that Parliament was with the family and would make sure the policeman who shot Kekana was arrested, saying that the firearm had already been sent for forensic tests.
"Let's not lose hope towards the police. Let's keep on trusting them. Forgiveness is what God wants. This was her (Kekana's) destiny, let's not blame the police," Molebatsi stated.
She said the community should accept that the police also made mistakes.
When the mourners showed no reaction, Molebatsi started a song. Church members quickly took over, dancing around the grave and blessing it, as flickering candles encircled the flower-decked heap.
When later asked how he felt about Molebatsi's speech, Makgotla said he did not even know the woman.
"We are hurting and angry at the police. It sounded like she was on their side. I told her afterwards that she shouldn't talk like that."
Frans Makgotla appeared distant during the ceremony in Stinkwater, north of Pretoria, on Saturday, when his 29-year-old daughter was laid to rest. Kekana's mother, Johannah, and sister, Kate, silently wiped tears away.
Kekana was killed a week ago when police allegedly mistook the car she and three friends were travelling in for a hijacked vehicle.
The young hairdresser was shot through the head while in the back seat of South African Air Force pilot Captain Simon Mathibela's grey Toyota Conquest.
One of her friends, Andre Singo, was shot in the hand and thigh, while another, Sofie Kgagara, was hit in the chest.
While a police vehicle stood outside the cemetery on Saturday, metro police regulated the traffic that included pedestrians, three buses and mourners in private vehicles.
The ceremony started at the family house, where the hearse with Kekana's picture pasted on the windows stood outside. As she had died violently, her body was not brought inside the yard.
The reverend told the more than 200 people that God saw their pain, and knew they were hurt.
At the cemetery, Makgotla threw sand into the grave. He then quickly turned away.
Kekana's cousin, Lucas Matlala, said of her friends involved in the accident, only Mathibela was at the funeral, as Kgagara was still in hospital and Singo with his family in Diepsloot.
"The whole message is that although we are angry, today is about honouring Olga," said Matlala.
The crowd mumbled in agreement when ANC MP Angie Molebatsi said she knew this was difficult for friends and family.
However, they soon fell quiet as she accused the media of reporting "only what suits them" and told mourners not to be "disrupted" by the media.
"One way or another, we are all going to die, regardless of whether a cop shoots you or you were ill," Molebatsi said.
She said that Parliament was with the family and would make sure the policeman who shot Kekana was arrested, saying that the firearm had already been sent for forensic tests.
"Let's not lose hope towards the police. Let's keep on trusting them. Forgiveness is what God wants. This was her (Kekana's) destiny, let's not blame the police," Molebatsi stated.
She said the community should accept that the police also made mistakes.
When the mourners showed no reaction, Molebatsi started a song. Church members quickly took over, dancing around the grave and blessing it, as flickering candles encircled the flower-decked heap.
When later asked how he felt about Molebatsi's speech, Makgotla said he did not even know the woman.
"We are hurting and angry at the police. It sounded like she was on their side. I told her afterwards that she shouldn't talk like that."
- This article was originally published on page 3 of The Pretoria News on October 19, 2009
Cape Town
