LOBATSE: When death visits, it is grief that sets in, however, mourning is never the same for everyone. Some Lobatse residents, members of the public, and others across social media platforms were recently disgruntled at the way Tlotso Karema’s mother has been mourning the loss of her son.

On Friday, members of the public gathered at the Peleng kgotla in high numbers when the Directorate of Intelligence and Security’s Director-General, Peter Magosi and Deputy Police Commissioner, Solomon Mantswe gave an update on Tlotso’s murder case. Representing the Karema family, the sister to Tlotso’s mother, thanked the police for their efforts in resolving the matter.

Unlike Magosi and Mantswe, however, the family representative angered members of the public who walked out of the kgotla meeting in protest, making accusations against the family for allegedly selling the boy for ritual purposes.

“Le re bona bohema. Ga re robale re batla ngwana lona le leboga mapodisi batho baba paletsweng kego batla ngwana. You guys know who killed Tlotso and you have been paid, that is why you are not mourning this little boy. God will punish you terribly,” a resident walking out of the kgotla said.

Another resident yelled at the top of her voice: “Le jele ngwana! Wena o ya go bula bara ka madi a le rekisitseng ngwana ka one. You are murderers! You are not mourning, but {you are} here thanking the police after giving us an impression that they were not being helpful. You sold Tlotso to the highest bidder, shame on you!” As they walk out of the kgotla the irate residents disclosed how they have been doubting the way Tlotso’s mother had been showing signs of grief since the boy was announced missing. The dejected public further accused the family of knowing what happened and having contributed to the boy’s death. Across social media platforms, members of the public have been roasting the boy’s mother asking where she gets the strength to change her hairstyle while mourning.

The dejected public further disclosed how surprised they are for Karema’s mother to have also had the strength to attend the kgotla meeting and not shed a single tear.

They said all that was a sign of the emotional disconnection to Karema’s death because they received the alleged P200,000 rumoured to have been found in the stepfather’s possession by the police during the arrest. However, some members of the public across social media platforms had a different view. They stated that people mourn differently and Karema’s mother might have wanted to change her hairstyle to feel much better and not let grief overwhelm her.