It was an ordinary Friday evening, the sun setting over Segopye Village, Limpopo. A mother and her 13‑month‑old baby stood patiently by the roadside, waiting for a taxi to Mankweng. Ahead lay only a drive—nothing more.
But fate twisted in an instant. The mother’s ex-boyfriend arrived in his van. His presence ignited a bitter argument on the pavement. The taxi finally came, and mother and child got on. Moments later, they stepped off the taxi at Marothi Cross. They thought they were safe. They were not.
The suspect followed them in his van. Without warning—or mercy—he accelerated, and the van ran over both mother and baby at high speed (limpoponewsupdate.co.za).
In that moment, a child’s future ended. A mother’s innocence was shattered. A community was stunned.
In small towns like Segopye, stories of domestic violence are far too common—but they rarely end in such sudden loss. A 35‑year‑old Limpopo man, currently detained and due in court on Monday, 28 July 2025, now faces charges of murder and attempted murder (limpoponewsupdate.co.za).
Police reports confirm the baby died on arrival at Mankweng Hospital, while her mother sustained severe leg injuries but survived. The tragedy began with a confrontation—a toxic mix of jealousy, control, and perhaps the inability to let go.
This is not just a local tragedy. It speaks to a systemic crisis that grips South Africa.
Between May and June 2025 alone, Limpopo reported multiple incidents tied to gender-based violence (GBV). Three women lost their lives in police-linked incidents just in Mankweng, Letsitele, and Malamulele (Sunday World). Civilians and survivors continue to say police responses are inconsistent, dismissive, or simply inadequate (Cape Argus).
These numbers are staggering—5,578 women were murdered in 2024, an average of 16 every single day. Despite government campaigns and declarations of national crisis, survivors feel abandoned, and families remain broken (SowetanLIVE).
The Limpopo Department of Social Development is now involved in supporting the victim’s family. Johannes Rapulana, Provincial Secretary of the Men’s Sector, called this incident a “call for concern,” urging coordinated community, legal, and social intervention to stop GBV’s deadly ripple effects (limpoponewsupdate.co.za).
Why do these tragedies continue? Experts and advocacy groups warn that public awareness campaigns alone cannot undo centuries of social violence or broken systems—and that toxic masculinity remains deeply entrenched (Reddit).
Why This Case Matters
Because justice in the courtroom won’t heal this wound. Because trauma doesn’t end when legal paperwork begins. And because too often, the stories we read today disappear tomorrow—until the cycle starts again.
This mother will carry her loss forever. The suspect will face the law. But what happens when the political speeches fade, and no one notices the quiet cry of this village?
Long after this individual case is closed, the question remains: how many baby taxi rides end in tragedy before policies become action?
Tell Us What You Think
POLL: Should South Africa declare GBV a national disaster like a natural catastrophe?
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Yes – it needs emergency status and resources
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No – we need stronger policing, not declarations
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Not sure – need to see better enforcement first
Leave your vote and share your thoughts below. Your voices can crack open the silence.
What Could Change
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Trauma-informed policing: Victims deserve to be heard, believed, supported—not dismissed (Cape Argus).
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Community intervention: Men like Johannes Rapulana call for active involvement from local leaders, educators, and social workers.
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Survivor-centered services: Helplines, counselling, safe shelters must be accessible and funded.
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Early education: As Reddit users note, abusers often come from cycles of violence, so we must start with young boys and fathers teaching respect and empathy (Reddit).
Backlinks & Support Resources
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Government GBV support services: www.gov.za/services/gender-based-violence-support
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Limpopo Department of Social Development: dsd.limpopo.gov.za
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Thuthuzela Care Centres – trauma support network: www.thuthuzela.org.za
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Coordinating anti-GBV NGO: Women for Change
This blog is part of our ongoing pillar content series on South Africa’s GBV crisis—exploring key questions, personal stories, and the urgent need for national action.
Follow us at Daily South African Pulse for humanized reporting and real-time updates. Don’t miss our next post on the US sanctions bill and South Africa’s strategic ties. For verified updates on this case, visit the full (source) linked here.
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Tags: GBV, Limpopo, Mankweng, Domestic Violence, Justice for Women & Children, South Africa News, Trauma Support
Our grief must not be silent. Our outrage must not fade.
Because every child. Every mother. Every funeral, once public, can become a tendency toward forgetting—unless we speak.
You are reading. You are remembering.
That is how change begins.
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