Tshenolo Tsipe (17), the sister of the murdered Tsepang Tsipe (21), has revealed that her mother was also killed in 2014, leaving the two girls opharned.
The two girls moved into the house of Grace Hlabangwane, whose son Flavio (26) went on to marry Tsepang even though they were cousins.
Below is the transcript of the interview between Tshenolo Tsipe and host Adrian Sampear on SAFM that was aired this afternoon:
Tsenolo Pitse SAFM interview – 17 November 2021
Tsenolo
You know Flavio, he’s my cousin. My mother and Flavio’s mother are sisters.
Adrian Sampear
Alright? But Flavio and Tsepang were in arelationship?
Tsenolo
Yes
Adrian Sampear
Okay, so how long has that relationship been going on for?
Tsenolo
It’s been going on for five years.
Adrian Sampear
And during that period of that relationship what was that relationship like?
Tsenolo
I wasn’t allowed to talk to my sister, like whenever she came to White City with Flavio, they would always talk to my auntie alone. If I tried to talk. I was being stopped. I would get upset sometimes. They would swear at me sometimes. I’ve been threatened with protection order before.
Adrian Sampear
By who?
Tshenolo
By Flavio and my auntie.
Adrian Sampear
Why would thet threaten you with aprotection order?
Tshenolo
They said I was stressing Tshepang out..
Adrian Sampear
From your vantage point, when you were looking from outside looking into their relationship, how would you characterize that relationship?
Tsenolo
Their relationship was very violent, because there was some point whereby whenever I would try to call my sister sometimes she would disclose to me that Flavio chooses her clothes. He didn’t like it whenever she talked to guys.
Adrian Sampear
When you speak about the violence, what extent of violence are you speaking of?
Tshenolo
She was in an emotional abuse, because she once told me that he sometimes made her cry for for the whole night. You know, there was a lot of verbally abused. And I’m suspecting physical as well.
Adrian Sampear
Yeah. And did you ever share some of this information with any of the people in the family who are older than you guys to try and see how they can fix the situation especially when you speak about the violent nature of the relationship as well?
Tsenolo
No, because I couldn’t speak to my auntie, Flavio was seen as more of a saint, you know? So, even if I spoke, who would believe me. So I had I had no one in the family to talk to. Instead, I looked for help outside.
Adrian Sampear
What sort of help?
Tsenolo
I talked to mum Zwane.
Adrian Sampear
So when when you when you were realizing all of these things, that were happening to your sister, did she ever say to you that she has raised this with anyone else?
Tshenolo
Um, she No, she she she was more of an introvert. She she chose to keep quiet. I think she chose to keep quiet because she was maintaining the relationship with my auntie..
Adrian Sampear
Why do you think that relationship with your auntie was so important?
Tshenolo
I don’t know. My auntie and her kids, they use muti. They use it a lot of muti, because my sister all of a sudden turned her back on me. Which it’s not normal because we from the same mother and in the essence Flavio is the brother to her.
Adrian Sampear
And they didn’t have any children.
Tshenolo
She she she had countless miscarriages. From what I heard.
Adrian Sampear
Do you care to share with our listeners what happened to your mum?
Tshenolo
My mom was also killed, but I’m not ready to disclose how because I might get in trouble.
Adrian Sampear
When was your mom killed?
Tshenolo
Around 2014.
Adrian Sampear
And who is the person who killed her?
Tshenolo
I don’t want you to disclose the name of the person.
Adrian Sampear
What was the relationship between your mum and the person who killed her?
Tshenolo
They were a couple. But there is more to the story regarding my mom’s death, which I’m not ready to say now.
Adrian Sampear
And how are you coping with all of this?
Tshenolo
I haven’t been coping at all. I’ve tried to speak. I’ve tried to scream help. And I was seen as, this gal who is just a lunatic, as this gal who is just disrespectful. Because in most instances when when people tried to come to my auntie, she would always tell them that I’m this rebellious child………
I Just like to see justice happen. I would like to see justice. She’s been highly abusive towards me. And I would like like even journalists to go and interview the neighbors. She cannot get away with this. She got away with my what happened to my mother. Now she cannot get away with this.
Please listen to the full interview on the SAFM podcast.