Karabo died because her confidence couldn't be killed – Bathabile Dlamini

Karabo Mokoena’s killer knew he could not kill her confidence and decided to kill her instead‚ social development minister Bathabile Dlamini said on Friday.

She was speaking at Karabo’s funeral service held at the Diepkloof Multipurpose Hall in Soweto.

“Our children are being raised in times that are different from ours. They love money… They are materialistic. Our children don’t see when they are being abused psychologically‚” said Dlamini.

“But Karabo had strong confidence and he realised that the only thing is for her to go because she wouldn't listen to him‚” said Dlamini.

• 'She must have been beautiful even in death‚' says Karabo's fatherKarabo Mokoena’s father‚ Thabang‚ would remember his daughter as a brave‚ confident and beautiful woman. 

Karabo was found burnt beyond recognition in a ditch in Lyndhurst on April 29. Her family continued to search for her until last week‚ when they learned that the body was hers.

Her boyfriend‚ Sandile Mantsoe‚ has been arrested and charged with her murder.

Dlamini called on Susan Shabangu‚ minister responsible for women‚ to do something about the minimum sentence for those convicted of gruesome crimes against women.

“The minimum sentence‚ Minister Susan‚ take it up. It is too low and it can be easily manipulated‚” said Dlamini.

“There’s a story going around that [Mantsoe] is someone who was reading the Bible a lot. This will be used as a mitigating factor and he will get parole shortly‚” said Dlamini.

• Family, friends gather to say farewell to Karabo MokoenaThe funeral service of Karabo Mokoena got under way at the Diepkloof Multipurpose Centre in Soweto on Friday morning. 

Karabo’s death had shaken her up as she too was the mother of a 21-year-old.

Dlamini said when she visited Karabo’s home‚ the family had a Bible verse about love framed and hung on the wall.

“I said to myself‚ here at Karabo’s home‚ they are taught about love‚ and at times when you have love‚ you tend to forgive easily. And that is why women suffer. In everything‚ we are led by emotions and we live in hope that he will change‚” she said.

She called on women to leave at the first sign of abuse.

Following Karabo’s murder‚ the hashtag Men Are Trash trended on social media‚ with women sharing the stories of the abuse they have suffered at the hands of men.

Dlamini said she was against the hashtag.

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“I am totally against it but those who aren't trash should stand up and say not in our name‚” she said.

Meanwhile‚ Johannesburg councillor Mpho Phalatse told mourners that the city was embarrassed by Karabo’s death.

Speaking on behalf of mayor Herman Mashaba‚ Phalatse said: “Karabo’s death has exposed us as government. We thought we were doing enough but her death as shaken the entire nation.

“It has called for us to search within ourselves and question‚ ‘Are we doing enough?’ What more can we do as government? We found that we aren't doing enough‚ but we are not enough on our own‚” she said. Phalatse called for forgiveness for the perpetrator‚ saying hope should be placed in the department of correctional services to rehabilitate him.

In closing‚ Phalatse said Karabo means “answer” .

“Let her be an answer to all the social ills we see.”

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