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Luckau Village, Limpopo – Grief, disbelief, and anger filled the air in Luckau Village on Saturday as mourners gathered to say their final goodbyes to two young cousins, Tshiamo (22) and Baleseng Moramaga (21), who were shot and killed in Mamelodi East, Pretoria, last week.
What began as an ordinary night out for the two cousins turned into a nightmare that has shaken both their Limpopo hometown and the community in Mamelodi. Their bodies were discovered early last Sunday morning, lying side by side near a tavern — the scene of yet another tragedy in a country already burdened by rising gun violence.
Inside the packed funeral tent, the atmosphere was heavy. Family members clung to each other for strength, while friends wept quietly as memories of the two young women were shared. Both were described as lively, ambitious, and deeply loved — two young souls whose futures were stolen in a moment of rage.
The accused, 38-year-old Tebogo Mnisi, appeared in the Mamelodi Magistrate’s Court earlier this week. He has been charged with two counts of murder, attempted murder, and possession of an unlicensed firearm. Mnisi has abandoned his bail application, and his case has been postponed as police continue their investigation.
Authorities have not yet released an official motive, but sources close to the investigation suggest the shooting may have stemmed from a personal argument between Mnisi and one of the victims. Eyewitnesses claim the altercation escalated quickly before gunfire erupted, leaving both women fatally wounded — Tshiamo shot in the head, and Baleseng in the chest.
At the funeral, family spokesperson Edward Moramaga struggled to contain his emotions as he addressed mourners.
“When we heard about this, it broke something inside us,” he said. “We can’t sleep. We can’t eat. It’s too much. We keep asking ourselves, why both? Why take both their lives? These were our children, our future.”
The community echoed the family’s grief. Locals who knew the cousins spoke of their kind spirits and shared how the two were inseparable — always together at family gatherings, always laughing. “They had plans, they had dreams,” said one tearful friend. “Now we’re left with silence where their voices used to be.”
Church leaders and village elders used the moment to call for peace and stronger moral guidance among the youth. They urged communities to stand up against gender-based violence and to seek peaceful ways of resolving disputes.
“Every week, we are burying young people because of violence,” said one local pastor. “Our hearts are tired of graves. This must stop.”
The killings have sent ripples through both Mamelodi East and Limpopo, reigniting debate about the country’s ongoing struggle with domestic violence and gun crime. According to police statistics, cases of intimate partner violence and femicide continue to rise, with many communities expressing frustration over the lack of effective intervention.
In Mamelodi, where the tragedy occurred, residents have called for increased police patrols and stricter regulation of firearm ownership. “People carry guns like it’s normal now,” said a local resident. “We are no longer safe — not in the streets, not in our homes, not even with people we trust.”
As the service continued, a slideshow of the cousins’ photos played on a large screen — smiling faces frozen in happier times. Their laughter, once familiar in the small Limpopo village, now echoed only in memory.
When the coffins were carried out, wrapped in white cloth and covered in flowers, the wails of mothers filled the air. Men removed their hats in silence as the bodies were lowered into the ground side by side — together, as they had always been in life.
The family’s pain was raw, visible in every tear and tremor. “It feels like we are burying our hearts,” said Baleseng’s aunt softly, staring at the graves. “How do we heal from this?”
Police investigations continue as the community demands swift justice. Many fear that the case could drag on for months, leaving the family to relive their trauma with every court date.
Meanwhile, Mnisi — the man accused of ending two young lives — remains in custody. His next court appearance is scheduled for January 2025.
The Moramaga family says they will not rest until justice is served. They believe that the deaths of Tshiamo and Baleseng must serve as a turning point — a wake-up call to confront the culture of violence that continues to claim young lives across South Africa.
As the sun set over Luckau, the sound of hymns faded into the evening wind. What remained was a community united by loss, bound by grief, and haunted by a single question — how many more young women must die before it ends?
For now, all they can do is mourn, remember, and hope that the system will deliver the justice that Tshiamo and Baleseng deserve.
