‘Be careful’: Madonsela on media portrayals of Sibusiso Lawrence’s case

Thuli Madonsela

Cape Town – Former public protector Thuli Madonsela has urged media outlets to approach reporting on the tragic case of Sibusiso Lawrence with caution, highlighting the potential harm of one-sided narratives.

In a social media post, Madonsela warned that certain portrayals could inadvertently blame victims or obscure the broader context of gender-based violence (GBV).

“The clip almost makes you feel the victim caused her own murder. The media needs to be careful of unintended consequences of one-sided narratives,” said Madonsela in a post on X.

Madonsela’s comments followed media coverage of an interview with Lawrence’s father, who described his son as a quiet individual, leading to concerns that the narrative focused on Lawrence’s perspective while erasing the victim’s story.

This comes after Lawrence confessed in a widely shared video to murdering his girlfriend, citing grievances over personal sacrifices and financial support.

“You will say I am being ruthless, I have tried and worked hard in my life trying to satisfy a woman. Trying to make her happy, trying to make a woman happy. I have tried really hard, I have lost a lot of things and a lot of money, lots of everything,” Lawrence said.

“She gave birth to a child who is not mine and I have taken care of her. She got tired of me and rejected me as she was about to get RAF [Road Accident Fund payout] that I helped with. She broke up with me,” said Lawrence.

Drawing parallels to a previous GBV case involving the Hart family in the UK, Madonsela emphasised how media can unintentionally amplify the perpetrator’s image while neglecting the victim’s experiences.

She stressed the importance of balanced reporting to prevent skewed public narratives.

The police have confirmed investigations into the deaths of Lawrence and his girlfriend, suspecting a GBV-related altercation.

Madonsela called for careful and responsible reporting to ensure the full truth is conveyed and to avoid perpetuating harmful biases in GBV cases.

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