‘I want to know why my child died,’ pleads grieving mom

An ongoing conflict between the parents of a toddler who died on Wednesday has become public, with the mother calling for an autopsy report and the father claiming the child has been lawfully buried. 

The dispute is over the death of 20-month-old Kaone Peka, son of Lesego Peka and Oberon Matsuvuki , CEO of Ndhuna Civil Engineering Services. What transpired over the past few days has played out on social media and in news reports. Peka has taken to several platforms to express her grief and call for justice for what she believes to have been the questionable death of her child, her exclusion from a fast funeral and speedy burial. 

Her desperate cries have resonated with many people and on Sunday an army of supporters backed her when she visited the Olifantsfontein police station to obtain clarity. 

In her posts that began on Saturday, Peka claims her son “was taken from me under deeply troubling circumstances” that have led her to open a case of concealment of death against the child’s father.

At the time of the incident, the couple were separated. Matsuvuki had been given custody of Kaone as Peka, who had given up her full-time job when she became a mother, was now homeless, reliant on friends and family and looking for a job. Matsuvuki, who lives in the Midstream Lifestyle Estate in Centurion and has domestic staff, was therefore able to provide a stable home for the child and was granted an interim custody order by the court. 

Now, with my son’s tragic passing, I am tormented by the possibility that this heartbreaking loss might have been prevented.

—  Lesego Peka

According to Peka’s account, she received a call from Matsuvuki last Wednesday, informing her that Kaone had fallen into the swimming pool and had drowned. In shock and grief, and after not getting the explanations and answers she wanted, Peka began posting her plight on social media, expressing heartbreak and confusion. 

She spoke of how she could not accept the claims that Kaone had fallen into the pool, as just days before she had pleaded with Matsuvuki to have it covered for the child’s safety.

“Instead of responding with understanding, he insulted me, dismissing my genuine fears as if they were nothing. Now, with my son’s tragic passing, I am tormented by the possibility that this heartbreaking loss might have been prevented,” she said. “To make matters worse my family and I were denied the chance to say goodbye, to hold my son, or to lay him to rest with the dignity he deserves.” 

This was because her son’s funeral was held just two days later and he was buried on Friday. She had approached the court to interdict and halt the burial but was too late — the child was buried before her request could be actioned. 

Her anguished posts resonated with many, who encouraged her to stay strong. She believes she has been given three different accounts of what happened: the first being that Kaone had fallen into the pool and almost drowned, but that he was OK, the second that her son had drowned and was dead, and third that he had been found by paramedics lying face up on the bedroom floor, already dead. 

Matsuvuki, who declined to speak to the media on Saturday on grounds that he was grieving the loss of his son and referred journalists to the police for answers, on Sunday decided to go public with his own version of events. 

In a public statement addressed to renowned entrepreneur, realtor and musician Thato Mbha, popularly known as TT MBHA, Matsuvuki wrote: “Firstly, I would thank you for being in contact with me as a brother, friend and as a champ of Amatyma organisation regarding the malicious allegations against myself by the mother of our late son through social media platforms.” 

He told Mbha an inquest docket had been opened with the Olifantsfontein police, who were now investigating the matter. 

Describing what had transpired on Wednesday, he said he was on his way to Rosebank when he received a call from one of his two helpers who said Kaone had fallen into the pool and was struggling to breathe. 

“I immediately called 911@Midstream Paramedics and made a U-turn back to the house. While I was on my way, I called the mother (Lesego) informing her of the incident, and her response was she’s on her way to Limpopo to discuss the estate of her late grandmother with her family and I should keep her posted,” he wrote. 

Matsuvuki said he arrived home within 20 minutes and encountered paramedics trying to resuscitate the child. The estate’s head of security was also present. Efforts continued for 45 minutes, with Matsuvuki keeping Peka updated until 45 minutes later the child was declared dead. 

“I then handed over the phone to the paramedics so that they can break the news to the mother. At that point I was too shattered to talk further.”

He said Peka had called again a few minutes later and the death was again confirmed to her. He said he asked her to come to the house, but she declined. 

“Regrettably, Lesego didn’t pitch to the scene,” he wrote. 

He said the police were called and the body was dispatched to the mortuary by pathologists. The following morning he opened an inquest case at the police station and went to Germiston to identify the body that afternoon. He told Peka where the body was, and that he had gone along with his father and brother to make the identification. 

Peka, he said, contacted him later in the afternoon asking for him to arrange transport for her to the mortuary, and he told her the identification had already been done and burial arrangements were all that needed sorting. 

He said he was contacted later by a relative of Peka who wanted to know what had happened and what the funeral arrangements were, and he gave her these details. 

He told Peka the following morning that the funeral was to take place at his house at 2pm, when there would be a private viewing and ceremony. He said he received a call from the police to check that Peka was allowed to attend the funeral, and though he said this was allowed, she had not arrived. 

“I want to confirm that burial was done lawfully, all the documentation, such as the death certificate and burial order were in place, and copies of such documents have been furnished to the investigating officer,” he wrote. 

“At this juncture, I can only wait until the thorough investigation is concluded because I also want to know how my son lost his life in the presence of two female adults who were assigned to look after him 24/7 during my absence.” 

He said while he understood that a mother would be in huge shock, he did not want her misleading the public and said she should rather “deal with this matter privately”. 

A family spokesperson for Peka said the mother was cheered by the support and backing she has received. About 70 women met her at the Olifantsfontein police station on Sunday, where they staged a peaceful protest. 

The station commander agreed to meet Peka and a small group of her supporters who were given the opportunity to speak openly with the police, find out first hand the processes that can and should be followed and how the police are involved. 

“We are hoping the father will sign consent for and exhumation and autopsy, otherwise we are going to have to go the court route,” the family spokesperson said.

Police spokesperson Lt-Col Masondo said police have opened an inquest docket for investigation. Once the investigation is complete, the docket will be taken to the inquest court for a decision.