Cape Town – Mpumalanga Premier, Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane on Wednesday visited the home of the world-renowned artist Dr Esther Mahlangu who was allegedly attacked by an unknown assailant over the weekend in her home at Siyabuswa near KwaMhlanga.
The 87-year-old Ndebele artist was left unconscious after she was physically assaulted before being robbed of her firearm and an undisclosed amount of cash.
According to TimesLive, premier Mtshweni-Tsipane has put together a team to assess and compile a report of the security at Mahlangu’s home in order to establish what needs to be improved.
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“If the report says warm bodies are needed here to secure the home, the provincial government will make sure it happens. The police are on the trail of the suspect and we urge him to hand himself over. Everyone is a suspect in this case, including family members,” the report quoted Mtshweni-Tsipane as saying.
Earlier, Mpumalanga Culture, Sport and Recreation MEC Thandi Shongwe condemned the attack and said that her department was “confident” that the alleged perpetrator would be brought to book.
“This act of criminality is condemned in the strongest possible terms, and it happens when the country is commemorating Human Rights month. People who attack the elderly are heartless and have no place in society. Such acts of violence on women cannot be tolerated. As a department responsible for the creative industry, we are confident that justice will be served in the arrest and conviction of the heartless criminals,” City Press quoted Shongwe as saying.
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Picture: Facebook/ Esther Mahlangu
Compiled by Odwa Shumi
