Hundreds of people converged at the Methodist Church of Southern Africa in Site C during the memorial service of Zolani Toyana (23) on Sunday 19 February.
According to the deceased family, Toyana was allegedly stabbed to death by three young women after he broke their bottle of gin on Sunday evening 12 February.
The deceased body was discovered by a passer-by on the following morning at Maphongwana street in the area.
Speaking on behalf of the deceased family Thembakazi Toyana said the family was left traumatised by the incident. She said they are trying to come to terms with Zolani’s death.
“We are heartbroken by Zolani’s death. His death came as a shock to the family as a whole because we were expecting a lot from him as he was still young,” said Thembakazi.
Explaining how the incident occurred she said it is reported that the deceased was drinking with the culprits before the incident.
“Zolani was stabbed for a bottle of gin. According to the people who saw Zolani on that day, they said he was drinking with five young girls. Two of them went home in the evening and he was left with the other three girls. So, out of the argument that he had with these girls as he was carrying a bottle of gin. It fell down and broke. One of the girls took a bottleneck and stabbed him in the back of the neck. They also stabbed him in the stomach and after he fell down they hurled him with stones and left him laid there,” explained Thembakazi.
She said only one person is arrested in connection with her deceased cousin.
She stated that Zolani will be buried at his ancestral land at Indwe in Eastern Cape on Saturday 25 February.
“His body will leave the province for Eastern Cape on Tuesday 21 February and the family members will depart on Thursday 23 February. The funeral will be on Saturday,” she explained.
Thembakazi thanked all the people who supported the family during this difficult time.