Neighbours of a 69-year-old Soweto woman who was allegedly murdered by her son have blamed police for her death.
Ethel Ntombela Masienyane died a week ago after allegedly being assaulted by her 34-year-old son in Orlando West.
Masienyane, who would have turned 70 two days after she was killed, was allegedly repeatedly assaulted with fists and kicked on February 9.
She died two days later in hospital.
Residents in the township were upset after they heard of her death and took her son to the local police station to be arrested.
They claimed that Masienyane would still be alive if the police had intervened in the abuse she suffered from her son, who allegedly assaulted her and robbed her of her money.
Sibongile Mthethwa, a resident in the area, said the police knew about the abuse as Masienyane had laid charges of assault and robbery against her son.
"What upset us as the community is that she lived in constant fear of him," Mthethwa said.
"He had a dependency on drugs and would steal money she received from tenants in her yard or he would take her grant money," she said.
Prior to her death, Masienyane had laid charges of theft, common robbery and assault dating as far back as 2017.
Police failed Soweto granny who was 'killed by son'
Image: Supplied
Neighbours of a 69-year-old Soweto woman who was allegedly murdered by her son have blamed police for her death.
Ethel Ntombela Masienyane died a week ago after allegedly being assaulted by her 34-year-old son in Orlando West.
Masienyane, who would have turned 70 two days after she was killed, was allegedly repeatedly assaulted with fists and kicked on February 9.
She died two days later in hospital.
Residents in the township were upset after they heard of her death and took her son to the local police station to be arrested.
They claimed that Masienyane would still be alive if the police had intervened in the abuse she suffered from her son, who allegedly assaulted her and robbed her of her money.
Sibongile Mthethwa, a resident in the area, said the police knew about the abuse as Masienyane had laid charges of assault and robbery against her son.
"What upset us as the community is that she lived in constant fear of him," Mthethwa said.
"He had a dependency on drugs and would steal money she received from tenants in her yard or he would take her grant money," she said.
Prior to her death, Masienyane had laid charges of theft, common robbery and assault dating as far back as 2017.
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Another resident, Lebogang Motlouna, said police could have saved the granny's life.
"The old lady loved her son and that's why she would withdraw charges against him, but for her own safety, her family should have stopped her [from withdrawing the charges]," Motlouna said.
Police spokesperson Monica Hangwani confirmed that six cases had been registered at the Orlando police station and that they were all withdrawn at a later stage.
In May and August 2017, Masienyane had her son arrested for common assault but in December the situation escalated after she laid charges of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
The suspect was arrested on three occasions in the previous year, the last time being in December for theft after he allegedly stole her pension money.
Masienyane's family refused to speak to Sowetan.
The son is expected to apply for bail in the Protea magistrate's court tomorrow after he was arrested and charged with his mother's murder.
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