Police spokesperson, Motantsi Makhele, says Tapile Mofokeng kidnapped and murdered the son of his girlfriend on Saturday 9 March 2019. He says his arrest followed after the boy’s body was found two days later in the bushes following his disappearance. Makhele says Mofokeng was initially arrested for child neglect as he was the last person to be seen with the child but in the twist of events he later confessed to the murder of the boy and dumping his body in the bushes. This sentence comes amidst the scourge of femicide and killing of children in South Africa coming under serious scrutiny by both government and civil organisations.

Several incidents of brutality, including the attacks of women and children in the Free State, have recently raised its ugly head and it prompted the protest led by the Mangaung Metro Municipal Mayor, Olly Mlamleli, this week. Mlamleli has since called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to reconsider the death penalty after the country recorded gruesome deaths of women, in particular, the death of a Cape Town film and media studies student, Uyinene Mrwetyana, and South African boxer and Karate Champion, Leighandre "Baby Lee" Jegels. Meanwhile, Makhele adds that Mofokeng is sentenced to life imprisonment for murder and a further five years for kidnapping. Both sentences will run concurrently.

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